# Really Making Some Serious Progress Here



## Rightfoot (Sep 4, 2011)

Good news everyone!

In the last few days I have had really good positive progress.

A few things still bother me and cause me anxiety (sense of time, pre-DR memories, unfamiliar social situations), but they cause me a LOT LESS anxiety than usual.

Most of the reduction in anxiety came with a realization: I have to stop fighting the way I feel. In a way, it feels like I'm giving up; like I'm just letting myself disappear as it always felt like I was going to. But the point is, that's not going to happen. That was NEVER going to happen.

DP/DR is NOT some disease that's destroying your mind, it is the FEELING that you're mind is being destroyed, perpetuated by the (completely understandable) overwhelming anxiety generated by experiencing such a feeling.

Some statements/facts that helped me get out of the worst of it:

- Much of the sensory experience of DP/DR is caused by a surplus of stress hormones in your brain, delaying synaptic responses and interrupting the supply and absorption of neurotransmitters such as Dopamine and Serotonin. Basically: anxiety physically hinders your perception.

- If you keep scanning constantly for 'reality', you will never see it. (Not seeing the forest for the trees)

- DP/DR can be *extremely* distressing for some people. Feeling really really wrong and tripped out does not mean you are dying/are going crazy/have a tumor/whatever. DP/DR really can make you feel _that_ bad. Trust me I've been there. Recently.

More things:

I did not take any medication/drugs to recover, so if you are like me and are too stubborn to start taking meds, I hope this gives you a bit of encouragement.

I started taking 5-HTP supplement about a week ago. Considering how I've been feeling recently, I would go out and buy yourself a bottle. No prescription needed.

OK that's it for now. I don't want hang on the forums too long while I'm on a roll. But to be honest, it's better to come on here while feeling good, rather than bad.

When I'm completely recovered I *will* do a big post with EVERYTHING that I did to recover and try to help as many people as I can to do the same.

Going to bed now, so if you message/reply I wont be getting back to you til morning.









See you around,

Rightfoot


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## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

Awesome post! I agree with everything here, keeps my hopes up and my motivation going!


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## Rightfoot (Sep 4, 2011)

Jayd said:


> Awesome post! I agree with everything here, keeps my hopes up and my motivation going!


Thanks Jayd! How's your progress going?

If anyone has a question or anything, don't hesitate to ask.


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## rushdy (Sep 24, 2011)

Good luck yo! great positive outcomes!


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## Rightfoot (Sep 4, 2011)

rushdy said:


> Good luck yo! great positive outcomes!


Thanks! It's still a slow process, but it's getting closer towards normal life.

Thanks for the encouragement! Good luck to you too.


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## TheGame (Feb 1, 2011)

This is really good stuff!

Id like you to move this post to the "positive progress thread" located in the Regaining Reality forum.

the reason id like you to move it there is that it is this forums only spot where people can go in and read about how to recover and what to do vs what not to do etc.

I hope you keep recovering and that you are doing well!!

thanks beforehand.


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## Rightfoot (Sep 4, 2011)

TheGame said:


> This is really good stuff!
> 
> Id like you to move this post to the "positive progress thread" located in the Regaining Reality forum.
> 
> ...


Cool, no problem... Erm... How do I do that exaclty?









Thanks BTW.


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## ProphetEdison (Apr 10, 2011)

Rightfoot said:


> Cool, no problem... Erm... How do I do that exaclty?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Awesome thread to read when you come home from school. Cheers


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## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

Rightfoot said:


> Thanks Jayd! How's your progress going?
> 
> If anyone has a question or anything, don't hesitate to ask.


Hey no problem. I'm doing alright. My biggest problem actually is anxiety. I'm always finding new symptoms that make me think I am developing schizophrenia. I have a pretty bad fear of it but I'm working on it and I think I am making progress with .

Hey whats your dosage of 5-htp and how many times a day do you use it??


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## Rightfoot (Sep 4, 2011)

Jayd said:


> Hey no problem. I'm doing alright. My biggest problem actually is anxiety. I'm always finding new symptoms that make me think I am developing schizophrenia. I have a pretty bad fear of it but I'm working on it and I think I am making progress with .
> 
> Hey whats your dosage of 5-htp and how many times a day do you use it??


Usually I take 50-100mg a day, but sometimes I forget and don't take any... I don't think it's the most important part of recovery, but it helps keep serotonin levels up.

I used to think I was getting schizophrenia too, as my DR onset was somewhat drug-related. I thought I'd just triggered a dormant psychosis or something. Sometimes, I found myself almost ready to believe it.

Thankfully though, the very fact that we are here talking about how we had these worries pretty much automatically prohibits the possibility of schizophrenia. If you had it, you wouldn't be thinking about it.

As for your anxiety, the best advice I have been given about it is that; to defeat it, you just have to face it. Just stop thinking about what symptoms you have, and how it feels, and just do what you want to do. Make sure you get out of the house once or twice a day at least. If you get anxious, just say: 'you know what, I don't care. Make me anxious. Make me afraid. You're not going to hurt me.' Stop checking yourself, and get back to looking at the world.

You probably have what I call 'cyclical' thoughts; as soon as anything significant happens, your first reaction is always the same. You can pretty much predict exactly the way you are going to think when anything happens. And pre-judging these thoughts always ends in a self-fulfilling prediction. You need to break the cycle, think unique thoughts, stop worrying about worrying. I have been stuck in that hole so many times, and only recently became able to shake it off when it creeps up. I still have my fears and doubts. But the only thing I can do is stop running from them, and instead, walk through them calmly.

Do what you can, when you can.

Peace,
RF


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## TheGame (Feb 1, 2011)

Rightfoot said:


> Cool, no problem... Erm... How do I do that exaclty?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You click this link =) http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/28082-positive-progress-thread/page__p__234818__fromsearch__1#entry234818
otherwise you only enter the "Regaining Reality" forum and then the "positive progress thread" will be in there.


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