DP/DR shocking yourself out of it

[mandshere2000]

Hi to all
Hope everyone's doing ok today, this might seem really stupid, but I had read somewhere that to try and help yourself out of the DP you need to try and overload your senses you need to overload the taste buds your smell and your touch so eat things like chillies touch things that are maybe hot and smells thIngs that are really strong. Has anybody else heard of things like this and what suggestions would you have of what you do to help yourselves out of depersonalisation.
Thanks Manda

[Mountainclimber]

Yes this does help, i have used this method to bring myself back to normality, and it does work for me. It distracts the fooling mind back to normality, and distracts the negative thoughts, and lets us concentrate on here and now.
Good luck with it, :D

[mandshere2000]

Hi murphy
Thank you for your reply, do you mind me asking
about your experience of DP/DR and what medication you are
taking that maybe helps, that's if you take any and anything else
that helps, it's such a frightening time for all of us that suffer with
this
I found out that the Maudsley hospital in London is the only place
that specialises in DP, have you heard of this

Manda

[PanchoGoz]

What helps me is concentrating on the feel of my feet on the floor or my bum on the seat. Connects me to the earth in a way.
I expect that Maudsley focuses on depersonalization disorder. Remember that what you are experiencing is DP as a symptom of anxiety, not as a standalone disorder.
DP disorder is usually from a huge trauma in life and often accompanies PTSD.
Take care.

[PanchoGoz]

Also, noticing that you can observe yourself feeling distant. There is always part of you that is in touch with the world, otherwise you wouldn't be conscious. Concentrate on the observing part that is more aware than the DP part.

[mandshere2000]

Hi Poncho
Thank you so much for your replys
Yes i do think that my DP is more than likely from anxiety but also
i have suffered lots of traumatic events in my life, i first had a episode of dp
when i was 21 im now 47 and then again in 2004 and this last episode has been
here since august 2011 so im confused has to were it stems from, i do have a lot
of stress in my life caring for my disabled 14 yr old son and my sleeping is awful and
i definitley think lack of sleep is contributing to the dp also
I have been on prozac on/off since i was 21 have tried various other anti ds but ended up bak on prozac 8 yrs ago
How long have you had dp if you dont mind me asking, and how do you live with it also have you found any meds that help
Manda

[PanchoGoz]

*Pancho, lol
I've had it this last year or so worst, it lingers even in low anxiety state so I'm putting it down to my mind being tired from the years of anxiety and it's probably related to my recent existential anxiety. They seem to feed off each other.
I think it's so hard to get rid of because it's helf in your imagination, so even when you don't actually have it, you remember it and then you might as well, if that makes sense.