OCD and Depersonalisation

[Guest AnxiousCarolyn]

I have been in CBT treatment for 9 weeks, its been going v well, i have made huge progress ever since April, very much down to my own motivation, its been a long hard road, but i am proud of my progress, however i am suffering awfully with intrusive thoughts around harm, bad things happening to me and my family, severe illnesses, etc and i then get so anxious i suffer with the depersonlisation feelings, i get detached sensations from my mind and body, this has been pretty much on and off but awful problem for 6 months, i have been told by everyone its all OCD and anxiety, but i fear going mad, crazy, psychotic, and even when i don't fear this, i still feel anxious because i can't stop thinking these horrible things and reacting like i do, its horrible feeling unreal etc, its a nightmare, i feel miserable.

Its like i see all this progress with my physical rituals but my mind is still purely suffering, any ideas or hope and ways of dealing with depersonlisation? i make everyones life a misery around me with feeling a wreck all the time, its silly but i just can't stop worrying.

[Guest Zippo3342]

Hi Carolyn,

Depersonalization is not a fun time. I went through it for a few months a few years ago and it is the FEAR of it that keeps it perpetuated. If you can learn to accept the feelings of depersonalization they may just completely disapear one day and you will forgot you even had it. That is what happenned with me.

I know what you are going through, it is the most eerie uncomfortable feeling. It is linked in with anxiety and OCD. They sometimes go hand in hand. There is a good book on Amazon called overcoming depersonalization disorder. It has some good therapy strategies on overcoming it.

I have been through the whole worrying about serious illness thing and it makes it all worse, it is so hard I feel for you.

SSRI's like prozac can sometimes help it, but the main drug that helped me overcome it was valium (diazapam). Alot of people knock this drug because it can be highly addictive but if you are sensible and just use it as a temporary tool you can use it to overcome depersonalization. Klonnopin has been known to help depersonalization too.

The idea is - you fear the feeling so it perpetuates - but when you have a vallium (in most cases it helps) and the depersonalization clears temporarily you realise the feeling IS linked to anxiety and it is nothing to be afraid of although it is a very uncomfortable feeling. Vallium is only a short time solution, CBT and ACT therapy is the long term answer.

I hope you feel better soon