# *Trigger warning* DP and the concept of free will



## slenderman124 (Dec 26, 2014)

Hi all.

Ive always had a feeling that there was something wrong with the concept of free will. When you think about it it doesnt really make much sense. I believe that every atom in nature follows certain laws, like quantum mechanics and that humans and human behavior is no expetion. Thus its these laws that depermines our actions and not "us". After getting familiar with this condition Im even more convinced that free will is unreal. Im pretty certain that it is an illusion created by some part in our brain and that when this part stop working or takes a break or takes it down a few notches, that is when you go into this state called depersonalzation. It explains why people feel like robots and not in controll of their actions. We all know that our brains can create illusions, so why cant the appearence of free will be one of them? So in other words when you enter this new state, youre actually experiencing reality more like it really is compared to the normal and usual state where you precive the feeling of free will.

Has anyone else thought about it this way?


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2014)

Personally I have not, I see depersonalization as a defense mechanism to anxiety. Could it be that my anxiety limits free will? I guess that's a possibility, but I haven't thought about it in a deeper way.


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## micah.gingerich (Dec 27, 2014)

how do you define free will?.... technically no we don't have free will, we can't fly or choose to do whatever we want. We are chained by the laws that govern us.

You do exist as a human being, You can't think yourself out of existing. Theres nothing to hold on to though, the fear of dp makes us want to hold on to something

so we get into these philosiphical questions looking for something to grasp and hold on to...not going to find it. Just let it go and move on to focus on recovery.


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## slenderman124 (Dec 26, 2014)

micah.gingerich said:


> how do you define free will?.... technically no we don't have free will, we can't fly or choose to do whatever we want. We are chained by the laws that govern us.
> 
> You do exist as a human being, You can't think yourself out of existing. Theres nothing to hold on to though, the fear of dp makes us want to hold on to something
> 
> so we get into these philosiphical questions looking for something to grasp and hold on to...not going to find it. Just let it go and move on to focus on recovery.


Well, my belief is that we are 100% governed by by physical laws. Not just gravity and those obvious restrictions but even our choises are governed by these laws. What makes it look like a choice is an illusion in our brain wich partly shuts down when you have DP. For those with DP the illuision becomes more faint. I am very confident that every thing I do and think is chosen by the laws of physics. I think its hard to define free will, because its so far fetched and it doesnt make much sense. Even modern neuroscience suggests that that is the case due to the fact that when we make a choice, the processes in our body wich starts the action we chose always starts before our brain gets aware of the choice.


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