# Recovered - Got some tips that worked for me



## Onibla (Nov 9, 2010)

I recovered from DP/DR entirely a couple of years ago. Someone wanted to know how I did it.

I'm not a fancy wordsmith like many of the people who recovered before and after me. But here is my experience of what worked for me.

My DP/DR started in 2010 and accelerated swiftly over the course of two weeks until it resembled the very worst horror stories that have been posted on this board.

The entirety of my DP/DR experience lasted roughly 2 years.

I had pretty much every symptom ranging from emotional deadness to endless panic attacks.

My visual perception of the world was significantly distorted for around 6-7 months, and was weakly distorted for the remaining year and a half. The visual distortion matched many of the descriptions I've seen on this board: fake; unreal; dream-like; camera; third-person.

On top of that there was the classic depersonalisation. I didn't have a clue who I was (in an existential sense - still retained enough logic to realise I probably was who it claimed I was on my passport). I didn't recognise myself in the mirror. I felt isolated and disconnected. I had the overwhelming sensation that something was incredibly off, wrong, broken.

I now have none of these symptoms. I have not had them for well over a year. I do not fear them if they should come back.

(Because someone always asks: No, I did not take any medication. But I am not opposed to the idea of taking medication.)

What recovery tips do I have for you?


Something you need to know is that you MUST accept that all these weird and terrifying feelings are going to be around for a while. You must never lose hope about recovery. Don't make recovering a goal, keep short-term goals like accomplishing normal things and living the way you used to. 
The key to getting a normal life back is to ignore the DP/DR, slowly train yourself to not think of it, ignore the negative thoughts, distract yourself as much as possible, take pride in work (be it school or employed or looking after your house/family).
Act as though DP/DR is the thing that does not exist. What would you usually be doing today if you didn't have DP/DR? Go do that.
If you are unable to feel emotion for a long period, as I was, fake it.
Don't sit around thinking about what a sorry situation you're in, that's not helping you and it's a waste of your time. You have to understand that DP/DR does not usually pass quickly. It will take time. The only thing that makes it go faster is ignoring it and trying to carry out your normal life.
DP/DR is a phase. It will not last forever. It will sort itself out if you stop feeding it by agonising over it.
Hanging in there is worth it. Having experienced DP/DR even mundane days are fantastic for me. The world looks beautiful.
It is possible to conduct life normally with DP/DR. I managed to acquire several qualifications which required me to sit exams for hours on end. All while questioning whether the paper in front of me was even real (and panicking about it too). I made new friends, moved house, and made major life decisions all while experiencing DP/DR.

Recovery does not happen over night. It can take years of tiny improvements each month. Recovery is usually so far off that it's not worth thinking about beyond as an abstract destination. Goals should be short-term, aim to accomplish one small thing each day/week/month. Don't put pressure on yourself to recover quickly, this will often lead to disappointment.

Do not read this forum every single day. Many people, myself among them, fall into the trap of obsessing over what is posted, what different tricks people are trying, and the need to read recovery stories. Being constantly on this or other forums infringes on your ability to not obsess over DP/DR.


----------



## Guest (Mar 20, 2014)

This is so dope! I always love hearing recent recovery stories!


----------



## tmarrow (Feb 2, 2014)

Thank you. Your story strenghtens us all.


----------

