# you can do it! :)



## kshalo (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi guys, thought I'd share a brief story about my experiences with DP/DR. My initial onset started just under 2 years ago due to a panic attack, which lead to chronic DP/DR that I managed to, very thankfully, get over within around 5 months. Since then I've experienced minor bouts of DP/DR, maybe lasting a couple of days at a time, but at a 'tolerable' level. In the last 6 weeks chronic DP/DR has set in again, due to the bad timing of final year university work with afew sad happenings in my personal life, but I have been recovered from DP/DR and I know that I will be again!









Alot of the best advice I had in getting over this thing, or making it bearable certainly, has either been gathered from this forum or from the 'DP Manual'. But these are my recommendations for overcoming DP/DR:

* Distraction is bliss - Even though it is incredibly hard to ignore the thoughts that DP/DR give you, you can certainly distract yourself from them! At first I thought this would be impossible, but by pushing yourself a little bit more at a time, you will find it becomes alot easier to do. Watching TV, listening to music, reading a book.. even if it only takes your mind off DP for a minute, this is still a minute you weren't thinking about it and is a step in the right direction!







I would recommend doing a variety of these activities rather than just watching tv all day; I find my mind goes to complete mush which makes the DP worse if I do that, however comfortable and safe it is. If needs be, make yourself a rota of afew small activities to accomplish each day, and build this up slowly over time.

* A problem shared is a problem halved - I find that taking abit of time to talk about what I'm going through with someone really, really helps. I know this can be alot easier said than done, as finding someone you trust to talk about such a difficult experience with can be tough or upsetting, but if you can do it, it makes such a difference and can help relieve the 'weight' and loneliness that the DP/DR makes you feel. Or if you don't feel comfortable in confiding in someone, get a diary where you can write your feelings down and offload some of the heavy thoughts that DP/DR make you feel.

* Live your life - Don't let the DP/DR stop you from living! I truly believe that the sooner you get outside and stop being afraid of the thoughts that DP/DR make you feel, the sooner it disapparates. It is very hard to go outside when feeling so spaced out and afraid at first, but just remember that it is your brains way of coping with stress and nothing to be afraid of at all!







Take your time with this and if it makes you feel 'safer', take someone with you or go somewhere where you know other people will be.

* Acceptance - Ultimately, DP/DR feeds off fear and frustration so if you stop living your life or spend time getting angry because of it, you have let it win. By accepting that DP/DR is just your brains way of coping with a stressful time in your life and it needs time to heal, you are halfway there. When I first realised that I was experiencing DP/DR, I spent ages reading about it and although this was reassuring, I also think it fueled the DP/DR fire. Since then, I have stuck to reading the 'Road To Recovery' section only on this forum as positive thinking is the key!

My apologies if this isn't any new information but I know if you can be strong enough to try any of my above suggestions, then you are heading in the right direction!







Good luck!


----------

