depersonalization vs derealization

Depersonalization VS Derealization: What’s the Difference?

One of the most common questions people have about DP/DR is: What’s the difference between Depersonalization vs Derealization? Are they totally different symptoms? Can they happen separately from one another? And do they have to be treated separately too? First, let’s look at both symptoms: 1. Depersonalization is a feeling of disconnection from yourself. You […]

Does Depersonalization Affect Vision

Why Does Depersonalization Cause Vision Problems?

Why Does Depersonalization Cause Vision Problems? ________________________ Vision problems are some of the most commonly reported symptoms of Depersonalization / Derealization. I experienced it myself and I hear it from sufferers all the time: My eyesight is is ‘off’ I have blurry vision My vision is foggy / distorted I can see visual snow / […]

Depersonalization-The Questions ARE The Condition

Depersonalization – The Questions ARE The Condition

Depersonalization – The Questions ARE The Condition _____________________________ During my recovery from Depersonalization / Derealization, one of the single most important rules I discovered was this: In order to recover from DPDR, you absolutely MUST stop researching it. But sometimes that’s not as easy as it sounds… When the very first edition of The DP Manual […]

Depersonalization and Memory Loss

Depersonalization and Memory Loss

DPDR sufferers regularly experience problems with their memory.  But is there REALLY a link between Derealization / Depersonalization and memory loss? ________________________ Of all the strange symptoms that accompany Depersonalization and Derealization, there is one that seems to be particularly common and extremely distressing: memory loss. I hear it from DPDR sufferers all the time: […]

weed hangover

Is Your ‘Weed Hangover’ Really Depersonalization Disorder?

Weed hangovers are super common. That feeling of your weed hangover lasting all day, or feeling still high after you’ve slept, is something that even the most experienced smokers can sometimes encounter.  But what happens when that feeling just keeps going? How long can a weed hangover last? Hours, days? Can a weed hangover last […]

Depersonalization: Three Reasons You're NOT Going Crazy

Depersonalization: Three Reasons You’re NOT Going Crazy

Depersonalization: Three Reasons You’re NOT Going Crazy ________________________ It’s the question that everyone asks themselves when they first experience Depersonalization: Am I going crazy? One of the most common symptoms of Depersonalization is having constant racing thoughts, intense self-analysis and weird existential fears. Things that are usually perfectly normal and everyday can seem bizarre.   When […]

DEPERSONALIZATION: HOW TO STOP INTRUSIVE AND EXISTENTIAL THOUGHTS

Depersonalization: Existential Thoughts (And How To Stop Them!)

Depersonalization: Existential Thoughts (And How To Stop Them!) One of the most disturbing aspects of Depersonalization / Derealization is the existential thoughts that come with it. I hear about these scary, intrusive thoughts from DPDR sufferers all the time.  Here are some of the most common: Am I Dead? Am I in Purgatory? Am I […]

Six Reasons LSD Causes Depersonalization

Six Reasons LSD Causes Depersonalization

Six Reasons LSD Causes Depersonalization (….and the ONE reason you can recover!) _____________________________ While weed is the drug most commonly associated with triggering Depersonalization / Derealization disorder, psychedelics like LSD and mushrooms are a close second. Relative to weed, acid is a much less commonly used drug. But I regularly hear of and from people […]

Should You Drive With Depersonalization

Is Driving with Depersonalization Really Safe?

Is Driving with Depersonalization Safe? _____________________________ One of the most consistently stressful things for sufferers of Depersonalization / Derealization to do is drive.  Sufferers regularly report that the simple act of driving your car from one place to another can cause intense anxiety, resulting in increased depersonalization and derealization. Feelings of dissociation while driving can […]

Depersonalization is not Dangerous

PROOF that Depersonalization Is NOT Dangerous

PROOF that Depersonalization Is NOT Dangerous _____________________________ Please Note: This article is NOT a recommendation to take drugs, illegal or otherwise. If you are suffering from drug-induced Depersonalization, please do NOT take more drugs to try and alleviate the condition. This could set back your recovery and possibly trigger another DPDR episode. _____________________________ The antidepressant […]

Why Does Depersonalization Affect Sleep and Dreams?

Why Does Depersonalization Affect Sleep and Dreams?

Why Does Depersonalization Affect Sleep and Dreams? _____________________________  Depersonalization IS NOT directly linked to sleep and dreams. It can cause and be worsened by sleep deprivation, but so do all anxiety conditions. Because of the feelings of  ‘dreaming but I’m awake’ and general exhaustion due to anxiety, it can feel like Depersonalization and sleep are […]

Can More Drugs Cure My Depersonalization?

Can More Drugs Cure My Depersonalization?

Can More Drugs Cure My Depersonalization? _____________________________ For those of us who have developed chronic Depersonalization / Depersonalization at some point in our lives, there’s often a long, frightening phase where you’re trying to desperately find out what’s wrong with you and how to deal with it. I experienced this myself and believe me — […]

Extreme Depersonalization

Extreme Depersonalization

Lately I’ve been coming across more and more stories about people worried that they have ‘Extreme Depersonalization / Derealization’. What is Extreme Depersonalization / Derealization? It’s the idea that there is some variant of DPDR that only a few people get, that is worse than most (and possibly all) other cases, and is either extremely […]

Depersonalization Fatigue

Depersonalization: Fatigue and Muscle Pain

Let’s take a look at two of the symptoms that you don’t hear about too often when it comes to Derealization + Depersonalization: Fatigue & Muscle Pain. DPDR sufferers often tend to get caught up in the mental aspects of the condition. Which is totally understandable — the existential thoughts that often accompany it can […]

Is_Depersonalization_Permanent

Is Depersonalization Permanent?

Is Depersonalization Permanent? No, Depersonalization is not permanent. Like other anxiety-spectrum conditions (like GAD and agoraphobia) it can persist if not addressed properly, but like those conditions it can be managed, reduced and stopped. It’s the most frightening aspect of developing a condition like DPDR — the possibility that it might last for the rest […]

Depersonalization Fears

Depersonalization Fears (+ How To Deal With Them!)

DEPERSONALIZATION FEARS (and how to deal with them!) Why do so many Depersonalization / Derealization sufferers have so many fears in common?  And why do people so often have one specific fear that can feel like the hardest to tackle? I recently received an email from a depersonalization / derealization sufferer who said that, while […]

Can Alcohol Cause Depersonalization?

Can Alcohol Cause Depersonalization?

Can Alcohol Cause Depersonalization? _____________________________ We already know that there is a direct link between drug use and Depersonalization — but what’s mentioned less is the possible link between Depersonalization and alcohol. DP sufferers often report feeling more Depersonalization after drinking. So can alcohol cause Depersonalization? Can it make it worse? Can it make it […]

What Causes Depersonalization

What Causes Depersonalization Disorder?

What Causes Depersonalization Disorder? – The 3 Most Common Triggers _____________________________ What causes Depersonalization Disorder? In almost all cases, Depersonalization is caused by stress and trauma (barring a physical cause like a major head injury). The three most common triggers for this are:  1. Panic Attacks 2. Bad Drug Experiences 3. Accumulated Stresses  So why […]

Depersonalization Recovery

Depersonalization Recovery In 3 Simple Steps

There tends of be a LOT of confusion out there about Depersonalization, what causes it, and if recovery is possible. So let’s clear this up once and for all: Yes, Depersonalization recovery really IS possible. And here’s why, in 3 simple steps! 1. It’s Caused By Anxiety Firstly, so much of the fear about Depersonalization […]

Can Medication Cure Depersonalization

Can Medication Cure Depersonalization?

Note:  I am not a medical professional and the information in this article is presented purely as advice. I am basing this advice on 15+ years of experience, both with taking medication for Depersonalization myself and dealing with thousands of DP sufferers who have (and have not) used them. However, the decision to take or […]

Depersonalization WILL NOT give you Multiple Personality Disorder

Depersonalization WILL NOT give you Multiple Personality Disorder

Depersonalization WILL NOT give you Multiple Personality Disorder_____________________________ For people who suffer with Depersonalization, the fear of developing Multiple Personality Disorder  (now more commonly known as Dissociative Identity Disorder or DID) is incredibly common.

depersonalization recovery_2

Depersonalization article in Elle Magazine

I recently came across this article in Elle magazine on Depersonalization Disorder.Although the article had originally appeared in 2007, it has lately been doing the rounds on DP forums and Twitter accounts.Mainly it seems to be about Sandy Gale and her terrible experience with the condition; she hasn’t worked in ten years despite having been […]