# A few important tips to keep in mind!!



## unidlehands

Hi there peeps.

I haven't really visited the site much in the last couple of months, mainly due to feeling pretty much back to normal (you will find when you start to 
recover you are no longer looking for answers all of the time). I can confidently say that I am 95% recovered, and would like to pass a few tips on to you which I am sure would help most of you greatly.

1) Depersonalisation/Derealisation is linked to anxiety/depression, so bear this in mind all the time, don't be thinking you have some weird disease that cannot be cured.

2) To fully recover, you need to fully accept your symptoms for what they are, just symptoms of anxiety and depression!!, don't be afraid of them, just accept them. This can be extremely hard at first, I know from experience, but it truly does work, for example, if your legs feel like jelly, just accept it and continue on with what you are doing, your legs won't give out on you no matter how much you think they might. If you are still complaining about feeling derealised, your vision, or whatever on a day to day basis then I can tell you that you haven't fully accepted your symptoms and you will stay afraid of them until such point as you do accept them.

3) Recovery takes time, I was always under the impression I would wake up one morning and blam, it would be all gone. However, I can tell you from experience that it is a slow process and you are likely to have setbacks, but remember each setback is a step closer towards recovery. It has taken a good 3-4 months to get to where I am now. Therefore, just let time pass and don't worry about how long it will take to get better. Remember that the months/years of anxiety you have experienced has sensitised nervous system so much that it will take time to get back to normal, leading me onto the next tip.

4) What does normal feel like - this is a hard one, but you have to rememeber that the symptoms you are feeling are normal symptoms that everyone has, for example, a person going for a job interview will feel nautious, his legs may feel like jelly, his hands may shake and his breathing may be rapid, however after the interview these symptoms will disappear. However, an anxious person has such a sensitised nervous system that anything, even just a thought or memory, can make you experience any of the symptoms associated with anxiety, although this will differ on a personal basis. Just remember that normal does not mean you will not experience these symptoms, normal means you will experience them as and only when really needed.

5) If you suffer badly from anxiety symptoms, then even if your doctors objects, get yourself on a low dose of benzodiazepine (e.g. Diazepam). I took a 2mg tablet of Diazepam three times a day and this helped me cope greatly. I slowly reduced the dosage until two months later I no longer need them and havent touched them for over a month now, so although there is an element of risk with addiction, I don't believe it is that great and the pros certainly outweigh the cons.

6) EXERCISE - you may not feel like doing this at first, but I can tell you that exercise helps you greatly, during vigorous exercise you will experience a fair few of the anxiety symptoms you get now, such as weak legs, dizzyness, blurry vision, nautiosness, but don't worry about it, this is perfectly normal and will help your nervous system settle down to normal levels. I personally now do 45 vigorous mins on my exercise bike, three times a week, and three weight-lifting sessions a week and I have never felt or looked as good, it's great confidence boost which leads me onto the next tip.

7) Avoidance leads to a lack of confidence, and you can end up in a vicious circle. I know you all feel like it's much easier to just sit at home curled up on the sofa or bed, but this is doing you no good whatsoever. To gain confidence again, you need to get out and do the things you used to enjoy doing, believe me this isn't easy, but each time you do this you will gain more confidence, if you feel really bad, just accept it and carry on with it.

8) Diet is veryimportant in the recovery process, don't just rely on eating junk food, no matter how much you may feel like it, this will just destroy your confidence, make you feel bad, put on weight and feel sluggish and lazy. You don't have to go mad, but just make sure you eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and protein and most importantly, drink plenty of water, at least two litres a day, dehydration can cause many of symptoms asssociated with anxiety.

9) Thoughts and memories - these will be one of the last symptoms to vanish and could take quite some time, just remember this following statement "The grieving process over the death of a loved one can take a long time, however from day to day you will gradually feel better and the memories will no longer hurt so much, however you will never truly forget the person you have lost". Similarly, it will take time for the thoughts and memories from the past months/years to recede and not hurt/scare you as much but eventually this will happen, also you will truly never forget the experience which is probably a good thing as the experience makes you a much stronger person in the long run.

10) Finally, just remember that you aren't the only people to experience this condition, millions of people across the world have been in a similar position and have recovered, you just won't find many of these people on these forums as they are back out enjoying life to the full, so try not to obsess too much over thinking that you will never recover, because you will. The recovery process lies within all of us and no one other than yourself can make yourself recover.

Anyway, I thought that some of the tips above may be of use to some of you, as I know from personal experience that all of the above is true. If any of you have specific questions then either post them on here or at a more personal level you can email me at [email protected].

Cheers,

Graham (Leeds, UK)


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## Anxious_Swede

Hi unidlehands,

Just wanted to say thank you for posting about your experiences and giving some tips. It helps me very much to hear about how ppl can actually get out of this terrible state, and boosts my confidence a bit. I've on and off suffered from anxiety for the last 10 years, with varying symptoms. The DP / DR didnt hit me until recent years, and it's the scariest symptom of anxiety / depression that I've experienced (along with feeling that my thoughts are 'blurred' and that I cant seem to concentrate and 'think clearly' about anything, even though I seem to actually be able to do so). I totally share your belief that feeling like this is because of an underlying anxiety disorder / depression. I'm new to this board and haven't checked out all parts / links yet, so I dont know if the following link can be found elsewhere, anyway here it is:

http://www.panic-anxiety.com/depersonal ... zation.htm

It is my belief that what is said here is true, even though the very characteristics of depression / anxiety can make us doubt that this is the case.

Thanks again


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## Guest

Graham you are an insperation to us all. Thank you. You give the much needed hope to overcome a truely terrifying condition.


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## Guest

anxious-swede, 
have you tried this linden method? seems like an expensive load of crap. i dont mean to critisize, just a little skepticle of all that the site claims.

thanks for sharing unidlehands, gives me much needed hope!


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## Anxious_Swede

Foggy,

After your post I checked up the site a bit more, and I must say that considering it's context makes me wonder a bit too. I totally agree with you, I'm also very sceptical to this 'method', there's no way it's as easy as 'do this and you'll get better, guaranteed' and I do admit I've thought about how serious one can be about anything written on the site, gets me kinda angry when they formulate it like that. I for one will never try such kinds of 'methods'.

I do believe, however, that the information about DP / DR connected to anxiety / depression as stated is correct, and I think that the linked page describes this connection well (even though I do *not* believe in the 'method').

I apologize for posting a link to a site that I hadn't checked up more thoroughly first. I'm kinda new to this :? I just thought that the page described the connection between anxiety / depression and DP / DR very well.


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## agentcooper

if my dp/dr is connected to anxiety/depression it is only because it MAKES me anxious and depressed. i know that i was dp/dred before i ever felt anxiety or depression like i have since. i definately think that linden is talking out of his a** about some things. also, i kind of think its evil to charge 150$ for the info in his books.


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## kchendrix

I agree with you agent..... It sucks that there are so many willing to profit from your misfortune.... I bought it, because I was desperate,, still am to find answers...... I don't know I guess I am trusting .. maybe it worked for him... but if someone truly finds an answer that works, give it as a gift don't try and profit from it.


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## livinginhell333

ha my legs feel the opposite of jelly they feel more like peanut butter. tight. since i really don't feel my body i don't feel my legs or arms or anything.


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## Inflammed

agentcooper said:


> if my dp/dr is connected to anxiety/depression it is only because it MAKES me anxious and depressed. i know that i was dp/dred before i ever felt anxiety or depression like i have since. i definately think that linden is talking out of his a** about some things. also, i kind of think its evil to charge 150$ for the info in his books.


I am in the same position as you are, DP came and only THEN brought up anxiety...wich leads to a vicious circle...


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## Guest

I too have just brought this linden method bcoz i am so desperate to get out of this nightmere, i ummed and ared for so long whether to purchase this miracle cure and even discussed it with their so called online experts via email, i havent been able to put it to use as yet bcoz i have only just received it but i am not too optimistic to tell you the truth.
But i will say that i only started experiencing DP/DR after having anxiety and panic attacks for so long, so i do believe that it is linked with anxiety but it what way i have no idea, i have had anxiety and panic attacks for 9 yrs but have only experienced DP/DR like this from 2002.


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## kchendrix

Yes mine started after anxiety also... I seem to go along during the day with out a problem and then the thought will come to mind that, i m not really myself, that I don't feel like me.. disconnected it is stupid obsessive thinking..... I wish it would all just go away


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## Guest

Same with me. Its the way you think. I have the feeling its your subconscious trying to mess with your conscious mind


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## Anxious_Swede

The story leading up to DP/DR for me: very anxious childhood -> panic attacks -> general anxiety -> feelings of DP/DR which I 'analyze and analyze and analyze... and _dont want to feel anymore_' -> more anxiety -> feeling even more DP/DR -> feeling like there's no point in doing anything since everything is so 'strange', I am so 'strange', and my thoughts are so 'strange' -> even more anxiety and thoughts like 'this is it, this is my life, I'm now stuck feeling like this forever 'til the day I die'.

The more I think about DP/DR and what it 'is' and how it 'feels', the more I get it and the more anxious I get that I will never get over it . In my case I know it's anxiety-related since I've never taken a drug in my life and suffered from panic attacks and general anxiety since I was in my teens (am 28 now). I've always been a very anxious person, and I'd never dare try any drugs, I hardly drink any alcohol as well because I don't like the drowsyness / dizzyness.

I can say this though: I've had two DP/DR hell episodes earlier in my life (each lasting for 6 months+), and in both cases I did actually recover fully, and it went years between, even though stressful events have caused me to get occasional 'dips'. Right now I can't really understand how I managed to get out of these periods since I'm currently in DP/DR hell again, but I know that I somehow 'accepted' that I had DP/DR and tried to do things even though having it and feeling miserable. After a while (several weeks of trying to ignore the DP/DR and do things anyways), I sort of 'forgot about it' and then the feelings actually slowly disappeared and became less frightening. I just hope I'll be able to do it again... I try to 'accept' the DP/DR, but it's damn hard .


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## Guest

Swede you are dam right. My Uncle, Aunt and Father have had this is at various stages of there life. As I am new to this experience my uncle was very interested in my experience. He has had this issue on and off for years. Do you know what he said to me? He said 'pray' I said 'what!!' Then I realised it was about having faith. Not necessarily faith in God but importantly faith in yourself. Confidence that you are in control not your mind. Dont forget it your thoughts control your emotions. You mind is just a tool dont let it use you. You should be using it. I find it almost a physical effort to get over these feeling and they do sometimes pass, but at a moment of weekness they come back to haunt me. First with DP/DR then a prickerly sensation in my hands and feet, then my mind starts kicking into overdrive. I am getting better. I am better than when I was back between Christmas and New Year. I have had relapses but Im not drinking,no caffiene,exercise every day, got rid of clingy girfriend (which was part of my anxiety) lots of Vit B, being good to myself, surrounding myself with my real friends and family who all understand the pain I'm going through. I personally think that medication can cloud things. A good positive emotive conversation whith someone you know really gets you back on track. Have faith, be strong and dont let the f*ckers get you down. It's not real. It's you mind playing tricks and you just have to accept it as it is. Swede you have done it back then and you will do it again.


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## mareo27

I wish I would've stopped reading after the positive posts, because just like my dp/dr, I get encouraged and then get clouded by negative thoughts. Thank U Unidlehands for the great tips, I am still having trouble with the visual crap, I guess that means I am still having trouble accepting this. I have to say that the visual disturbancees have gotten fewer and farther apart as I am learning not to be afraid of this biatch. I realize I have to keep my eyes on the prize as I know I have a ways to go and a great deal of discipline to learn and apply. I am tired of this taking away the beautiful sunny days I could be enjoying.

One Day.

:x


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## Guest

Hang in there. Mine is getting better.


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## hurricane12

very good tips


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