Depersonalization: Why Do You Charge for the DP Manual?
Why not give the Depersonalization Manual away for Free?
Depersonalization: Why Do You Charge for the DP Manual?
Sometimes if I happen across a mention of my book online it can be in a forum where someone says something like:
"I don't get it. If this guy really has found the way out of depersonalization, why on earth would he charge money for it? You can't put a price on good health."
Often, the statement isn't phrased so gently 🙂
There are a few reasons why I charge for the Depersonalization Manual.
1.
The book was initially written as a recovery diary. I suffered with DP for almost two years, and being naturally creative, I kept a detailed diary of what was making me feel better / worse. It was only through that that I began to understand the engine of anxiety that was driving the depersonalization and, through trial and error, what I could do that would yield tangible, positive results. That guide was the basis for my total recovery and I am thankful to this day that I began and kept that diary. I honestly think that if I hadn't done so and stuck to the rules, I would still be suffering with depersonalization today. At its core, it's a book that was written during the most difficult period of my life and I'm thrilled that it has been such a source of inspiration and a recovery reference for so many people. Selling it online allows me to develop the book and the website and to promote it to people who might otherwise never encounter it!
2.
When I first recovered, I collated all my notes from the diary into the first, rough version of the DP Manual and actually put it online for free.
I sent it to a few fellow sufferers who I had befriended and posted it online on DP forums. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive. People were thanking me, asking me to expand on the book, to write more. So I did! At the same time, however, there were people posting in the forums that I was a "fake", that I could not have recovered from DP because it was basically an incurable condition. Or that, if I'd had depersonalization, it must have been an 'easy' version of it that was different from everyone else's. Aside from the obvious stress of dealing with this, I found myself spending more and more time back in Depersonalization forums, something that I had vowed never to do again, for my own health (as is outlined in the book). It was around that time that I decided to remove the manual from the forums and to set up my own website to sell it for a small fee. I immediately found that the reaction was so much more positive. People who bought it, who invested money it, viewed it differently and actually stuck to the rules more carefully. No longer was it some random free download that would sit on your desktop -- It was now a comprehensive package that was worth time, money and effort! And of course, that inspired me to expand on it, add new sections, record the audiobook etc, all of which makes the core message of recovery all the more effective!
3.
The costs of running the website / blog / advertising / download server all add up! 🙂
4.
The DP Manual has helped literally thousands of people to recover from depersonalization. It's something that I would have given anything to have back in 2005 when I first developed the condition, and I am extremely proud of the time and effort that went into (and continues to go into) documenting, creating and expanding The Depersonalization Manual. I love that it has been and continues to be so invaluable to so many people and I hope that you do too!
