# I am recovered and this is how I did it!



## SirNotAppearingInThisFilm (Oct 23, 2012)

Hello everyone,

I've had DP for just over 2 years, and in the last 3-4 months it's become manageable to the point that it's gone almost 100% of the time. I say almost because it does rear it's ugly head in rare situations (mainly from lack of sleep) but, even in those situations, it's become easy to manage and I no longer fear DP.

Although I only accessed this site a handful of times, I always found peoples recovery methods/experiences to be both helpful and inspiring. So I thought I should briefly share what has worked for me. Obviously you are all familiar with the symptoms of DP, so I don't need to list them all. My DP came on after an night of excessive drinking and heavy marijuana use. I'm sure many of you can relate to that. At my peak I had DP 24/7 for about a year straight.

I'll start with the* management of thoughts:*

Personally, the best method in regards to the thoughts themselves was to treat the DP no differently than I do my anxiety and depression (I experience both.) I didn't/don't see it as irreparable damage, and believe it is more of a strange defense mechanism of an exhausted brain.

If you have underlying anxiety/depression, then it is necessary to tackle those first. I did this through some group therapy/CBT at first, to at least understand what might be happening in my brain. The group sessions also gave me an understanding that I was not the only one feeling like this (in regards to the anxieties) and that, in fact, many had it much worse. You'll learn many techniques and strategies that will help with what I believe to often be the underlying cause of DP.

Ignoring the DP is impossible, and most people don't really grasp what you are talking about when you try to explain it. Even my therapist didn't really fully grasp what DP was. It can make you feel alone. However, it's good to remind yourself that even though it's hard to really grasp reality, your loved ones will support you regardless of their comprehension of what is going on. It can be worth opening up to a couple of people who are close to you to at least hear yourself talk about it out loud. For myself, it almost became a joke between my roommates and I. (granted we have slightly odd senses of humor.)

You've probably been told this by others: to just 'ignore it.' This was extremely difficult for me to do, and I even thought it a little ridiculous considering DP effects your vision so intensely. 'Ignore' is a strong word and I found it better to just 'go with it' for lack of a better term. When the DP was manageable, I tried my best (very slowly and over a long period of time) to just accept it for what it was...a spaced out dream...a disconnect with the self. When I went out with friends, I just had to accept that I wasn't going to always feel 'there.' And when I would return I would have to accept that the whole night might feel like a dream. The anxiety of: 'I might feel like this forever' was ever present, particularly when I was falling asleep. It's a very difficult thing to manage, and this was by far the most challenging aspect of my recovery. When the thoughts were bad I would usually have to go for a walk, call a friend, watch tv etc. until it passed (in my experience the worst bouts would eventually ease off.) This Acceptance was always easy for a few days, or when life was going good, but it was also a nightmare sometimes. This is why I think it's important to get your underlying anxieties under control first, because then when thoughts of hopelessness or confusion enter your head, they're much more manageable.

The best thing to help with this arduous process was *distraction* in any form. Regardless of the activity, time spent outside of my house was always a good thing. Do things that take a long time (and are at least mildly enjoyable) and try to schedule things that you won't be able to skip (like meetups with friends/hair appointments etc.) If you have something set in stone that you need to do that day, it focuses at least some of your attention onto that event and not your present state (I know this is the opposite of what anxiety therapy will tell you, but it helped me as long as the event didn't stress you out.) I found it extremely important to try and plan things on the weekends. Things that are fun and distracting and things that get you out of your house. Most importantly, it had to be something you looked forward to. If you could occupy even a small part of your brain with the positive thought of having something to look forward to, it's a good thing.

This may not be possible for most of you (and it wasn't for me without racking up a Mastercard bill) but I became a little more careless with spending and, oddly enough, I think it helped. If friends were going away for the weekend and money was the only issue, I would just go anyways. If I was feeling stressed and hungry, I would treat myself to some good food etc. I'm not saying to do this to the point of excess, but if occasionally treating yourself makes you happy then go for it (in moderation.)

Also, try and structure your day. Plan things in the morning to get you out of bed. Have a bit of a structure to your days. This helps, especially when you feel like your running on auto pilot.

This next thing is purely my own creation, and it may not make any sense, but I'll attempt it. As cheesy as many of the anti-anxiety methods seem, they are very important (you can find them all over the net: breathing techniques, relaxation methods etc.) These methods can help relax your body, and thus your brain. The technique that worked for me was this: I would concentrate on my vision. I would remind myself that my eyes are on the front of my head, and that my brain (and thoughts) sit behind it. I would need to almost go wide-eyed to exaggerate the effect. The things the you see are all out in front of you. They are no part of your thoughts. It would help to focus on something (an object) and do this. Say that 'this tree is out there, these thoughts I'm having are behind my eyes.' Often I felt like DP would put my thoughts in the forefront of my vision. Like the fogginess was a literal layer of anxiety blurring my vision. I would try to push those thoughts behind my eyesight and try forcibly to clear my vision. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but doing this gave my first hints of reality again, a feeling that the world outside me looked clear (it more helped with the derealization aspect.) It seemed to help me to see, somewhat, the real world outside of the veil that seemed to be lifted over my eyes.

To sum up: This took me a long time. Again, tackle your anxieties/depression first. I tried to battle DP head on, and a panic attack would always send me back to square one. It's no easy task to try and lead a busy life with DP nipping at your heels the whole time. But over time, accepting it can be hugely beneficial and your stress levels will lower as you learn to cope with the thoughts and feelings of DP. And distraction is the most important thing. Obviously this is all very challenging to the fact that you're doing all this with major DP. Make lots of plans and don't be stagnant. If you fall down, get back up. If you let this thing eat you up and crush your motivations, it will last for a lot longer than it should. Remember to tell a loved one whats going on. Realize that your not the only one feeling like this!

The second aspect to my recovery was much more physical. I will argue that these are the things that may have actually cured me. Granted, this may not be the case for all of you. These are the *lifestyle choices/techniques:*

The single most important thing, which I should have mentioned first, is *sleep.* Having a good sleep was so, so important. And second to the quality of the sleep was the frequency and pattern of your sleep. Try your best to go to bed around the same time each night. Again, plan something in the mornings to get you out of bed. *DO NOT OVERSLEEP.* The worst spells of DP I ever had occurred during days when I overslept. If you are still tired and haven't slept enough (which I often was) then have a nap if you need to. The fogginess that follows a nap dissipates much more quickly than that which follows a sleep that lasted too long. Having a sleep pattern gives you structure, and is beneficial for your brains nightly recovery.

Don't stress about how much you sleep or rest during the day. I believe that DP is much like mental fatigue, and I treated it much the same as I would mental exhaustion. Obviously be aware of not sleeping all day long, but having many cat naps through the day me just be what you need, as long as the rest of your day is spent with at least some mobility.

The second most important thing (perhaps I should have written this the other way-round) is *EXERCISE.* It sounds cliche, but it's true. Physical activity is essential in recovering from any of these ailments (Anxiety, DP etc.) Unless you have a major health issue preventing you from getting physical activity, get off your butt and do it. No matter how bad you feel or how tired you are, go for a walk. Go for a run. Go to the gym. Play sports. AT LEAST 3 days a week for 20-30 minutes. The 2 hour period after a workout, when your endorphins are firing like crazy, can be bliss. This can give you hope and peace, even if it's only momentarily. Not to mention the countless benefits it has in every aspect of your physical and emotional well- being.

Thirdly is *healthy eating*. Scrap all your greasy/sugary food. Only eat it when, like I said before, you need a treat. Try to eat ridiculously healthy. You don't need to go overboard, or cut everything out, but eat your fruits and vegetables! Eat a balanced diet and honestly, stay away from crappy food. This alone can help a ton! And *drink lots of water.* Keep super hydrated. *Avoid all stimulants,* and even coffee if you can manage.

Try to* stop drinking and smoking pot*. Alcohol made me feel good the night of, but would always throw me into a whirl the next day. If you can't stop, try not to drink in excess. Pot should be obvious to give up as it quite clearly can be the 'cause' of many people's DP.

If you feel very fatigued it's definitely worth *getting blood-work* done. Check your electrolytes, blood sugar and thyroid. In doing so I found I had a lactose sensitivity (I know that's the fad right now) but it worked wonders for me and my energy levels increased after dropping dairy from my diet. Listen to your body. Feel what's working and what's not and if certain things might be contributing to your fatigue.

Spend as little time around the computer and bright lights as you can. I particularly have a problem with fluorescent bulbs (like the ones in grocery stores.) Excessive light (even sunlight: so wear sunglasses) effects your vision and, for me, it always increased my DP symptoms. Fresh air is a good thing!

Vitamins and supplements helped me a lot. It's easy to go overkill on taking vitamins, so that's where it's good to get blood work done first. If your Calcium is balanced for example and you are taking calcium-magnesium supplements, it can make you just as tired as if you had a calcium deficiency. Supplements that I know helped me are the following:

For the Brain:
*Omega 3 fish oil*
Evening Primrose Oil
*Rhodiloa Rosea*

Fatigue:
B vitamins
Ginseng

These are fairly standard. Anything that benefits your brain function is probably a good thing. The Omega 3's are the king of all DP aids in my opinion. The only one that isn't common I suppose is Rhodiola Rosea. It worked wonders for me. Look it up online. It is an adaptogen that helps with mental alertness/fatigue/stress.

I refused medication throughout, so I don't know how these supplements will interact with meds. I don't know enough about medications to dismiss them, so i'll leave my opinions out of this.

Managing stress is also huge. Avoid stressful situations like the plague. If you can help it, immediately retreat from any stressful situation. Breath deeply whenever you can. Keep calm and find a sense of peace.

If you're a spiritual person, I suggest embracing it. My faith helped me a lot throughout. Regardless of your creed, it can really help in giving you a sense of person. If your an atheist, embrace your realist sensibilities and know that you can conquer this thing yourself. (I'm not saying that sarcastically.)

I essentially treated/treat the DP as a mental fatigue/anxiety overload. The best thing I did was get out. Get busy. And get healthy. Lead a completely cliche healthy lifestyle. Focus on your brain. Nurture it. Give it the food it needs, the rest it needs, the entertainment and distraction it needs.

I cannot speak for the thoughts themselves. *No matter how crazy or dark your thoughts get, always know we've all had them.* Always remember that everything is what it is. You're perception is just momentarily skewed. This thing takes you to some crazy places, so It's awesome to have a community like this, and lots of people on here, including myself, are always open to help out and talk you through it! And don't fear the "lasting effects." After about a month of clarity my brain started to get back to normal. I was more alert in social situations, I could retain information at work and school, and I could go about most of my day without needing a nap.

This whole process took me almost 2 years. It was not overnight. After months of a very healthy and active lifestyle I started to notice improvements slowly...and I mean slowly. I think at the base level you need to conquer the roots of your anxieties, whatever they be. Then move on to coping with the DP as best you can. Then move on to leading a healthy lifestyle (although that should be started ASAP as well.) This process took me a while to adjust to because it seemed slightly selfish. But it worked. I had to put all my focus each day on my recovery and It was not easy. It should be one of your main goals, especially if it's affecting you every day. I cannot say I've come out of DP unscathed. It'll have a lasting effect on my outlook on reality and life. But it certainly made life more interesting at times. Many of the deeper states I entered broadened my outlooks and I think affected me for the better. I don't fear it returning, because I now know how to control it and tame the beast. And I do consider myself fully recovered.

This turned out much longer than I had intended and I'm not sure if anyone will read it, but hopefully some of this info helps. Stay strong...You can do it! (and all that other cliche motivational stuff.)


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## yosemitedome (Aug 1, 2013)

SirNotAppearingInThisFilm said:


> It'll have a lasting effect on my outlook on reality and life.


What do you mean by this?


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## = n (Nov 17, 2004)

Thank you very much, your recovery story was extremely encouraging. I believe i am moving in the right direction.


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## seafoamwaves (Sep 20, 2013)

Amazing! Don't look back haha!!!


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## Sashbot (Oct 16, 2013)

I absoultely LOVED this post. It was so encouraging and although your only a stranger to me I am so proud to hear that you have found recovery. Very inspriational!

Thanks!


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