Sar96
28-03-08, 13:21
:wacko:I have just read 'Overcoming Depersonalisation and feelings of unreality. A self help guide using CBT techiques' by Anthony S. David.
I have found this really useful as I now don't think my DP/DR is a result of panic attacks I think it is the other way around. The book talks about the whys and wheres of the condition and uses CBT to help overcome it (tasks/worksheets etc). It also uses case studies and I could identify exactly with one of them (someone who used drugs and had DR/DP as a result) It also talks about possible medication (some epilepsy and antidepressant medication) :roflmao:
From reading the book, my symptoms are actually a lot better than I first thought. I am able to go about everyday life and had a full time job as a teacher before I had my son (5 months old) When I first started to feel weird years ago I found it hard to get through the day and became addicted to sleeping tablets for 4 years as sleep was the only time I could get away from myself.
Even though I have had panic DR/DP for 7 years I have only just really strated to take some action into treating it. (I thought it would go away by itself with time!) At first my symptoms got worse as I was aware of it all the time having gone to the docs, done research and joined this site. I thought about it constantly and it drove me nuts. I still am thinking about it most of the time. Having more knowledge about what is happening to me has made me a bit less afraid of the symptoms as I don't really believe I am going mad now. A lot of the time I am ok but don't feel 100% especially when I think about it. The book also gives some advice on concentrating on external sources to focus less on how you feel inside - He says that if you are so focused on whats going on inside your body/head it is no wonder you feel detached from what is going on in the world around you. There are some good activities on negative thought patterns.
I seem to have symptoms more when I am on my own. I prefer company as it takes my mind off how I feel.
Here are some of my symptoms:
Feeling robotic
My body and mind are not connected
Visual disturbaces (spaciness, dizzy) especially when I am driving which is what caused me to panic
I don't have emotional numbness fortunately and my memory seems ok still so it could be worse.
Sensitivity to light (when this first started I used to dread the evening as the artificial light made me feel worse - I now I know why!)
Strange numb feelings in my legs where I feel I can't walk properly
I used to get terrible paranoia - i kept thinking people were going to dtug me and I would freak out (I was spending a lot of time around people who still did drugs) I don't get this anymore.
The worst thing is not feeling like I am me anymore and wish I could be like I used to - sometimes it gets me down but I have to keep thinking positives:
- that I am so much better than I used to be
- I don't notice it all of the time if I am preoccupied
- I have managed to go about my normal life where people 'think I am normal'(!)
- I managed to conquer my sleeping pill addiction which took over my life.
- I can manage symptoms usually with distraction.
I am on the waiting list for CBT but am trying CBT at home. I will feel like myself again - eventually - I hope!!
Anyone out there identifying with this?
Sarah x x x :unsure:
I have found this really useful as I now don't think my DP/DR is a result of panic attacks I think it is the other way around. The book talks about the whys and wheres of the condition and uses CBT to help overcome it (tasks/worksheets etc). It also uses case studies and I could identify exactly with one of them (someone who used drugs and had DR/DP as a result) It also talks about possible medication (some epilepsy and antidepressant medication) :roflmao:
From reading the book, my symptoms are actually a lot better than I first thought. I am able to go about everyday life and had a full time job as a teacher before I had my son (5 months old) When I first started to feel weird years ago I found it hard to get through the day and became addicted to sleeping tablets for 4 years as sleep was the only time I could get away from myself.
Even though I have had panic DR/DP for 7 years I have only just really strated to take some action into treating it. (I thought it would go away by itself with time!) At first my symptoms got worse as I was aware of it all the time having gone to the docs, done research and joined this site. I thought about it constantly and it drove me nuts. I still am thinking about it most of the time. Having more knowledge about what is happening to me has made me a bit less afraid of the symptoms as I don't really believe I am going mad now. A lot of the time I am ok but don't feel 100% especially when I think about it. The book also gives some advice on concentrating on external sources to focus less on how you feel inside - He says that if you are so focused on whats going on inside your body/head it is no wonder you feel detached from what is going on in the world around you. There are some good activities on negative thought patterns.
I seem to have symptoms more when I am on my own. I prefer company as it takes my mind off how I feel.
Here are some of my symptoms:
Feeling robotic
My body and mind are not connected
Visual disturbaces (spaciness, dizzy) especially when I am driving which is what caused me to panic
I don't have emotional numbness fortunately and my memory seems ok still so it could be worse.
Sensitivity to light (when this first started I used to dread the evening as the artificial light made me feel worse - I now I know why!)
Strange numb feelings in my legs where I feel I can't walk properly
I used to get terrible paranoia - i kept thinking people were going to dtug me and I would freak out (I was spending a lot of time around people who still did drugs) I don't get this anymore.
The worst thing is not feeling like I am me anymore and wish I could be like I used to - sometimes it gets me down but I have to keep thinking positives:
- that I am so much better than I used to be
- I don't notice it all of the time if I am preoccupied
- I have managed to go about my normal life where people 'think I am normal'(!)
- I managed to conquer my sleeping pill addiction which took over my life.
- I can manage symptoms usually with distraction.
I am on the waiting list for CBT but am trying CBT at home. I will feel like myself again - eventually - I hope!!
Anyone out there identifying with this?
Sarah x x x :unsure: