Welcome,
Unfortunately a lot of the sub-forums have become quite dead.
Spirit99 wrote:I'd appreciate if you tell your path step-by-step, I mean from the beginnings of your symptoms (age, triggering situation if any, etc)
As long as I can remember; my history is too long and broken up with too many other psychiatric symptoms to be able to say.
Spirit99 wrote:your "lowest point" of desperation (if any)
I've had many lowest points of desperation and although depersonalization has been fairly rare, the stress of ongoing derealization can lead to psychosis for me.
In the past, I've been reduced to a shell of human, barely able to talk, but presenting as normative and able to function in the eyes of others, and thus not qualifying for the extra mental health assistance I needed; a prisoner within myself.
Spirit99 wrote:and then the choice of asking help to a pro and your improvements through the therapy to finally get your success.
For me, improvements came with treating my depression and managing stress.
^
They're the biggest contributors to derealization (I wonder why we don't have a sub-forum for derealization). I need my psychologist's help with this.
Hopelessness leads to stress, stress leads to panicking which leads to more stress.
^
I've found making sure I relax and get a lot of sleep is essential if I'm experiencing this
There's a ton of information on how damaging stress horomone cortisol is, and there's research even debating how much damage from psychotic breaks is actually caused by stress rather than the psychotic break itself.
Processing / integrating emotions and what's going on in my life is essential too. Also need psychologist help with this.
^
My psychologist is bemused that I actually compartmentalize the process of "feeling my feelings."
I just tried talking about this a while ago, so I'll copy and paste:
"What I lack is the ability to discern which feelings I have, and often, I don't know I have them, nor do I know why I have them until I'm flooded.
^ Unless I set aside time daily (which I do) to try to figure out if, what and why.
It helps for me to ask myself what's happening in my life and what I should be feeling - or if I know I'm uncomfortable, than ask myself why it would make sense that I'm uncomfortable."
Grounding/ being present is also important to learn how to do and where I struggle. Really need psychologist help with this.
I never realized I'm never fully "in my body" until a couple years ago, and I feel too threatened to stay whenever I try to be that present in the moment.
If I chose to, I could spent almost all my conscious time in daydream, but if I do, it seems to make derealization worst.
Spirit99 wrote:"successful stories of solved depersonalization or derealization disorder
There's no magic wand, and progress seems to be made from a compilation of small changes that work for you rather than one easy to follow concrete path.
It's success to me because derealization doesn't often cause problems in my life anymore
- Although sometimes I'm left feeling like I'm living on "borrowed" time.
Who knows if I'll get sick again, or if I'll make it out, but I try not to think about it since I can't do anything about it.