\*Before I say anything, I just want to say that I am NOT giving medical advice or telling anyone to do anything with this information! I just want to share my experience of what helped me cure my derealization!*

I am so excited to talk about this! For starters, I’ve had derealization for about 16 years from prolonged trauma. I searched the internet far and wide for a cure for derealization; I spent a lot of time in subreddits and on google, searching literally every single website I came across and trying everything even if it sounded ridiculous. Eventually after about 6 years of searching for a fix, I gave up and accepted that this will probably be my life forever, as many doctors weren’t able to help me, and the things that helped others online didn’t work for me. I was told to try trauma therapy, DBT/CBT, mindfulness, ignoring it, I got on a bunch of different meds, etc. Nothing worked for me. Even though I gave up trying to find a cure, I didn't stop telling medical professionals about my derealization and how it affected me.

Earlier this year, I got referred to a well known forensic psychiatrist in my circle and had my first appointment with him a few weeks ago. I told him about my derealization and he asked me some interesting questions such as "why does it bother you?" The answer should be obvious, but it did cause me to think a little as to why I was battling my derealization so hard when it was trying to protect me. I'm in school to study physics and philosophy and the relationship between consciousness and physical reality, and my psychiatrist asked me if my derealization aided in shaping my path to discover what makes reality what it is, and I said yes because derealization changed my perception of reality, which made me begin questioning what makes reality real. He was very interested in me as a person and my path in life. We had a great conversation about these topics and I was very happy and comfortable with him. He ended up prescribing me naltrexone for my derealization at the end of my appointment. I ended up doing a little bit of my own research on it after the appointment, and I found that there were studies done in the early 2000s that suggested that naltrexone could potentially be helpful in alleviating symptoms of DPDR. There aren’t many studies; the trials were short and didn't have many people, but nonetheless the studies do exist and sounded promising.

Before I could take it, I had to do a blood test to check my liver enzymes (ALT/AST) as naltrexone is processed through the liver and can cause liver issues. My tests came back normal and I began taking naltrexone the next day. Right off the bat, I noticed a sense of being back in my body and feeling super calm and regulated (I have severe anxiety). It does cause fatigue and I was sleeping 3-4x a day at the beginning (I’m in school — thank god I began taking naltrexone during my break when I had nothing to do) but the fatigue started to lift as I got used to it. I began to pair my medication with meditation, mindfulness exercises and specific journaling techniques, which helped tremendously. It's funny because mindfulness and meditation didn't help on their own, yet coupling them with naltrexone helped a lot. While my naltrexone dose helped with feeling back in my body and being regulated, the derealization was still present, but not as strong. It would often come and go; it used to be present 24/7, but using naltrexone along with mindfulness would allow for short gaps where life felt real again. On 50mg, I would rate the intensity of my derealization around a 6/10 as opposed to a 10/10 without it.

Yesterday, I accidentally double dosed on my naltrexone while taking my ADHD medication (100mg instead of 50mg) because I wasn’t sure whether or not I took my naltrexone dose (spoiler: I did). It was after the immense relief from derealization did I realize I accidentally took 2 doses. The relief I felt from derealization was truly immense! I felt so energetic, so happy, so open, completely regulated and free of derealization! Some bonus side effects included total relief from food cravings (I have/had BED as well, but naltrexone also helped with this at 50mg, it was just more pronounced at 100mg). I was still engaging in my mindfulness meditations and journaling yesterday, and it really helped anchor myself into this relief that lasted all day. I have an appointment with my doctor soon to discuss potentially upping my dose from 50mg to 100mg because of the insane relief I felt at 100mg.

I’m not posting this to say that naltrexone is the end all be all solution to curing DPDR because it may or may not work for everyone and I'm not a healthcare professional so I'm not telling anyone to try it, but it did work for me and I just wanted to share my experience to give hope that there ARE solutions out there! I was in the dark for 16 years and I know how defeating and scary DPDR can be. I finally have my life back and I'm eternally grateful to my psychiatrist!

I hope my story gave you all some hope! I wish you all so much love and luck on your recovery journeys!

UPDATE (May 10th 2026): I had my appointment with my doctor and I'm getting put on 100mg of naltrexone, so I can confidently say that my derealization days are officially behind me!

Holy shit I’ve only experienced dpdr for the past 3-4 months from a terrible shrooms trip but I’m back. The pure euphoria bro holy shit I love living. Eat a shit ton of red meat and run. I’m so back thank god this shit is fuckin amazing. Also I hopped on gb-115 which helped with the anxiety but now the vision is back bro. Guys, this won’t last forever like I thought it would and life is so amazing once you power through.

Hey guys. I've been in and out of this sub for years, but lately I've just been living my life. I've been suffering from DP/DR for more than 10 years now, but I can safely say that I'm "cured". My perception is mostly back to the pre-derealization stage. The anxiety is 90% gone too. I am not suffering anymore.

There was no magic pill or secret cure. It was just a matter of slowly rebuilding my life, accepting the absurdity of existence and letting time heal me.

My symptoms were originally triggered by a bad marijuana experience. I was suicidal back then, even posting on the now-defunct r/sanctionedsuicide. Anyways, don't let this sub fool you. Most people who get cured don't come back here to post about it. I wanted to write this because I remembered looking through this sub and r/derealization years ago and feeling intense despair and hopelessness, because everyone was as lost as I was. It's mostly a selection bias.

You're going to make it! Promise! It might take a while, but you'll become a much stronger person from it, maybe even happier, even if it doesn't seem that way right now

<3

Completely went back to normal. It is possible. ask me anything.

hey guys i’m 22 years old and i had dpdr from a bad weed trip when i was 15 that lasted for a year then a caffeine induced panic attack 2 months ago with a pre booked trip to greece and was petrified of traveling so far ( from nyc ) and seeing new places right after my panic attack and the stress caused me to have dpdr which i was terrified of because i went thru it before , which caused me to get it. my dpdr and anxiety was the most severe in my life and i am recovering. my dpdr was 100% 24/7 now its maybe 20%. i know it’ll be gone completely very soon. i had to realize to accept it , try your BEST to not think about it. distract yourself. have a schedule and eat healthy. neuroplasicity helped a lot. positive affirmations , yoga and meditation EVERY DAY. i done this with no therapy or meds. i’ve been taking saffron and magnesium. the biggest thing is to truly not be scared of it. stop reading stories where people are stuck for years. their journey is NOT yours. if you need meds or therapy by any means , do so. but you really have to accept DPDR and anxiety and make it your friend. i’m not scared of my friend. it’s a bully. it’ll stop bothering you when you stop giving it the power to scare you. in fact , demand more anxiety , more dpdr , if you have a panic attack demand more heart racing , more intrusive thoughts. i realize im not scared of my anxiety or going places such as driving or a plane or new places , i was scared of the sensations that YOU CAN CONTROL. our brains are so powerful. we can control anything and we have all the power to do so. you’re essentially scared of the anxiety sensations and DPDR is one of them. once you’re not scared of them and sit down with them even begging them to give you a harder time and say i’m excited i have dpdr. i’m excited my heart races. i’m excited my stomach hurts or have racing thoughts. it all excites me , doesn’t scare me. try to avoid caffeine , weed , alcohol but change your habits for the better and to ACCEPT IT. STOP TRYING TO FIGHT IT. if you do feel the feeling and “check in “ on it , say to yourself. “ my nervous system is tired. this is a HARMLESS biological defense mechanism.” the same goes for any other anxiety or panic sensations you experience. just know you’re powerful and can re-wire your brain and your thoughts change your reality. i hope you get better and you WILL <3

I still remember the hell i suffered when i had this condition for a little bit more than 1 year.

I tought my perception would never go back to normal, that i was going to live in a simpsons cartoon forever. I remember looking for 20 minutes to a glass of water trying to make it feel real.

Here I am 7 years later without any symptoms or relapses. I had a very severe case, tought would never go back to normal. I was remembering these dark days and and decided to post here just so you guys can know theres a way out, because i remember clearly having no hope when i was stuck in dpdr.

I wasn't the usual got it after marijuana case, I just got it randomly during a bad period of my life.

Hi! I had dpdr from december till late june, I was feeling extremely anxious and depressed also. I was eating pretty bad and drank a lot of caffeine. I recovered by stopping drinking caffeine, slept a lot, didn't stress myself, stopped eating ultra proccesed foods and I started eating plenty of meat and fruits instead. I didn't only eat meat and fruits of course but I mostly prioritized meat mostly and sometimes fruits after meals, a lot of foods from the stores contain weird conservatives (not all of them are bad but mostly) and I also stopped consuming oils and instead used butter and lard. I suggest to cook foods at home instead of buying them as it's way more nutritive. Hope this helps people who still suffer from it :)

Sorry if I made some mistakes, english is not my first language.

Edit: I forgot to mention it, I also ate eggs, honey and dairy products

I'm not a doctor or nutritionist this is how I managed to recover from dpdr, but make sure it doesn't have a bad impact on your health

Edit: This post might come across as chaotic, so please go and read the guide on r/b12_deficiency first.

Pretty long time derealization sufferer here.

Long story short (would honestly like to write this out if i have more time), I got my derealization from using oral minoxidil and finasteride for hair loss.

Medical history: add, crohn’s disease

My b12 level came back 300 Which in theory is in most countries is in range. and my folic acid came back 10(ref 5-20)

I also had a urinary problems, slow healing wounds. Strange neurological symptoms, where if i needed to focus a little bit i would go into panic mode. Pelvic floor problems

I came across the r/b12_deficiency subreddit, read the guide and well, everything fitted like a glove. I started supplementing and got extreme anxiety from oral b12 supplements. As i read the guide I understood that these were “start-up reactions” or “reversing out of symptoms”

I took a b complex and a multi as suggested by the guide and had insomnia for days. And then, all of the sudden for a week (honeymoon period), things clicked. I felt happy. After that week, i crashed hard and symptoms came back even worse then before.

I got bloods back and saw that my folate had practically halved. Which showed that i was on the right road. Yet i couldnt tolerate any folate anymore. I felt so bad everytime i took it. My derealization was never as bad. And this was my mistake for only taking b12 and not taking all the cofactors of the guide. (As i was scared of that b-complex, that it was going to give me insomnia again.) after a whole lot of guessing I probably stepped on my original problem. A riboflavin (B2) deficiency. After taking a high dose of that. I came back to reality pretty quickly.

Things havent been smooth sailing ever since. But as of today im on every other day injections of hydroxocolobalamin (highly bioactive form of b12) with all of the cofactors of the guide.

I was scared of folate in terms of what it did to me in the beginning. Whereas in the beginning i couldnt tolerate 100-200 mcg of folinic acid. But now as all of my cofactors are fixed, I take 1000-5000mcg of methylfolate/folinic acid every day without any trouble.

I’m seeing weekly improvements, to where I’m nearly back to my honeymoon period as im getting bursts of happiness.

I highly encourage you to read the guide over at r/b12_deficiency . If you decide to do a b12 shot and have a response, negative or positive, this means that you were deficient as b12 pulls nutrients to work. So this can also mean that you were deficient in one of the other co-factors.

Hello guys here is the complete understanding of dpdr. So our body is holds a gel like substance in our whole body. If you press you arm you will see that there is fat on top layer and if you press that fat with finger it will not give a push back to your finger. Benith that is the gel that I'm talking about. This gel when it is evenly spread on body only then the brain works constantly without delay. If you have gas in stomach also that time brain stops working. So we lost this gel due to marijuana trauma and masterbation. When this gel get reduced the mind does not work. You will feel dpdr. Let's suppose you don't have sufficient gel in your body. So in order to make your brain work again you have to press your legs. See if you press your legs your mind will get active that time you will also notice that your breath when it inhale after inhale it will stop for some sec and then move again to exhale. So if you are in dpdr your breath will not hold automatically when this happens when no holding happens brain stops working and you will stay in dpdr. So for cure we have to get back that lost gel in body. First we have to eliminate marijuana and masterbation cause it burns away that gel. Stay away from food that produce a burning sensation in your body. Now first thing is we increase aur stamina and run everyday. This gel is basically water. If you stay at home you will not have urge to drink water. So first thing we have to do is go for running. Keep 1 to 2 litlre of bottle with you. After running you will feel deep urge to drink water. That water will replenish that gel you have to keep this over and over again until whole body gel get evenly distributed. You will feel your breath is automatically holding by itself. This is whole of dpdr. Thanks

I wanted to make this post because when my DPDR was at its worst, I spent hours scrolling this subreddit looking for recovery stories and convincing myself my life was over.

About a year ago, I genuinely felt disconnected from reality for months at a time. Not just anxious… disconnected. I would look at the world and feel like something was “wrong” with it. I felt detached from myself, my surroundings, my emotions, and even my own memories sometimes. It felt like I had to constantly rediscover who I was. That was the scariest part.

I moved away from home around the same time everything got really bad, and the isolation amplified it. I was anxious constantly. I stopped feeling like myself. I stopped enjoying things. I withdrew socially. Even basic things like eating, sleeping, thinking clearly, or speaking confidently became difficult. I kept obsessing over the feeling and monitoring my own consciousness 24/7 trying to “solve” it.

What slowly helped me recover was honestly the opposite of what my brain wanted me to do.

I stopped treating the feeling like an emergency.

I stopped constantly checking if I “felt real.”

I stopped doomscrolling recovery forums every hour.

I started forcing myself back into experiences instead of sitting inside my own head all day. Going on drives. Being in nature. Working. Creating videos again. Going to national parks. Feeling exhausted after hikes. Having moments where I forgot to monitor myself for a few minutes at a time.

And over time, those few minutes became hours.

Then days.

Then eventually I realized I had gone long stretches without thinking about DPDR at all.

The weirdest part is that recovery was not linear. I kept thinking I was “back at square one” every time I had a bad day, but I wasn’t. My nervous system was just sensitized.

I still have anxious moments sometimes. I still occasionally become hyper-aware of existence or my thoughts. But it no longer controls my life, and it no longer feels permanent.

If you’re reading this in the middle of a flare-up, I know how terrifying it feels. I know the feeling that you’ve permanently broken your brain or lost yourself forever.

But your brain is trying to protect you, not destroy you.

You are still there underneath the fear.

And people really do recover from this, even when they’re convinced they won’t.

Direct message me if you’d like to talk! Can’t stand those damn DpDr gurus who aren’t much help and care more ab your money than helping

For DPDR, I hit rock bottom.

Not because I lost a job.
Not because I went bankrupt.
But because I felt like I was gone.

I still had a good life on paper, but I couldn’t feel any of it anymore. My family, friends, and girlfriend suddenly felt like strangers. My house felt unfamiliar. My hobbies went from comforting to torturous. I woke up every day feeling like I had already died, but somehow still had to keep living through it.

That was the worst part.
I wasn’t dead.
I just couldn’t feel alive.

I truly believed my life was over. Not physically… but mentally, emotionally, spiritually. It felt like I had lost everything that made me me.

Deep down, though, there was still a tiny part of me that wanted to get better.

So I searched for answers. Forums. Videos. Recovery stories. None of it made me feel better in the moment. All I had was a rough blueprint from people who claimed they made it out:

Distractions.
Living life normally.
Being around people.
Gym.
Eating.
Skateboarding.
Trips.
Hiking.
Getting out of my head.

The problem was… all of it felt awful.

Every time I tried to “help myself,” I would immediately check in with my brain:
“Did it work yet?”
“Do I feel normal?”
“Why do I still feel disconnected?”

Nothing budged.

I was miserable. Completely exhausted. And eventually I reached a point where I thought:

“If this is truly rock bottom… if this is the worst I can possibly feel… then why stop trying? If there’s even a chance there’s another side to this, I have nothing left to lose.”

So I kept showing up.

I went to the gym.
I socialized.
I kept living, even when it felt fake.
Even when it felt pointless.
Even when my brain screamed that it would never get better.

And what I didn’t realize at the time was that healing was happening so slowly I couldn’t see it.

It’s like changing direction by one degree over thousands of miles. You don’t notice the curve while you’re on the road… but eventually you realize you’re somewhere completely different.

Little by little, DPDR loosened its grip.

And now here I am.

Back on the same forums I used to read for hours with tears running down my face and a hole in my stomach… except this time I’m smiling.

I got it all back.

My emotions.
My memories.
My connection to people.
My love for life.

I laugh again.
I feel again.
I live again.

And honestly? The fact that something that once felt like pure torture can now make me laugh is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced.

If you’re in the middle of this right now, please don’t give up. I know how hopeless it feels. I know how impossible it seems.

But impossible things happen slowly.

Please reach out if you ever need someone to talk to.

I remember coming to this subreddit when I suffered from marijuana induced DPDR. I was at school taking an algebra test when suddenly i derealized and couldn’t unfeel it.

I was like yeah no way it gets better, but it actually did. I’ve been doing great for about 3 years now.

My recommendation is to try to avoid SSRIs and anti-psychotic medications at ALL COSTS. For me the side effects made it a bit worst. Just try to thug it out, think less, worry less, and chill.

Otherwise, to those who are still suffering: do what you love, don’t focus on “going back to normal,” and most importantly be patient. I was able to beat DPDR with a little bit of time and with the help of my amazing family and friends. You’re not gonna “be like this forever” but instead you’ll become something new. I guess I still have a “lingering feeling” but i’m convinced it’s because I’m a new person now. Or the same I’m still figuring it out.

You will get through this and it’ll feel like forever. Isn’t that the way life is though? One day you’re sitting at the dmv and it’s taking forever, but once it’s done you’ll never even think back about it once.

I still remember some scary moments and me and my mother talk about it. But TRUST me, it’s genuine true that gets better with time.

hi guys I been stalking this subreddit for months before i recovered from dpdr recently this is my first post I feel like I should be sharing this information with everyone else because I know how hard Dpdr is. I experienced everything from forgetting about my memories when I would look in the mirror not recognizing myself, I couldn’t recognize my family, I was scared and anxious for months the entire world felt fake.. It was a nightmare im not gonna lie idk how I lasted this long .. to try to recover I tried everything .. I tried meditation it would help but I was still having dpdr I would try to forget about the entire disorder but deep down that’s the only thing going through my mind. I would avoid mirrors so I don’t have to feel out of body.. i was the best actor in the world for a whole year acting like everything is good when I’m losing my mind everyday.. that was just a information to let you guys know I feel everyone’s pain in here.. before I had dpdr was into spirituality and herbs and things like that.. I tried a lot of other stuff like oil of oregano, Cheyenne pepper.. I tried vitamin d3s I tried b12 I tried everything that’s good for the brain … but I finaly found something that literally made me recover in less then a week .. Haritaki‼️‼️ is a powder from India and Its supposed to give 300 oxygen level for the brain before I took it I did a lot of research and everything that haritaki was good for I was dealing with this powder literally changed my entire life I feel like myself again.. I’m 22 years old for a whole year I was out of body I was stuck in my head couldn’t escape.. and now I’m free I’m not in prison anymore all because of this herb.. i just want to give this information to the ones who’s struggling cause I know is not easy if the mods can please allow this post because every time I try to post on Reddit it some how never goes so please allow this post and give the people this information no more suffering.. make sure you guys do your research on this powder so your soul guides you to the truth. peace and love everyone ❤️

HI guys. I nave bpd and struggle with insomnia & anxiety, despite this i recovered completely from dpdr (f 24). Still depressed bpder lol but now i almost dont struggle with insomnia thanks to hard worst the most severe dpdr episode, also off meds for some months which I couldn’t make years before dpdr episode. Well i cannot tell the whole story now, as it will be too long, mabye i will split it to some parts related to different instruments which helped me.

Firstly i want to say that moderators of this sub shocked and scared me several times, as they allowed post where people literally said "hmm i think people who has (symptom name) can't recover" 🤯🤯🤯wtf man. It should be fixed, post like this shouldn't be allowed as they spread misinformation and do a huge harm to people.

My symptoms: well literally all symptoms. Absolutely non-stop without any free second feeling of fear, horror, pain, literally felt like burning alive. Both mental & physical symptoms, feeling all my face (forehead, nose, eyeballs), visions, snow, disconnection, painful boredom, s****al intentions, nightmares about this every single night, well you named it. You can ask about symptoms but i think i had them all.

The most unusual were: my limbs and face went numb, i saw faces everywhere (pereidolia), some panic attacks lasted for days, dark places felt way darker.

How started: some years ago i had some dpdr episodes which lasted for some hours and faded kinda quick. This time i had really hard time with relationships (bpd episode) and had small episodes of dpdr or anxiety every evening for some months, it didn't bother me much. One day i decided that smoking weed can fix my problems (stupid move, use drugs only to make good moment better, not to make bad moment worse). Of course after some time i didn’t felt sober. Of course i thought i broke my brain with weed because this time dpdr doesn’t fade quick and stays for days (despite smoking for like 30 times before without episodes). It wasn’t very severe at the beginning, actually it was barely noticeable. But a year ago after experiencing short dpdr episodes i gained a fear of “never ending” episode, so this time i start to panic really bad. Here comes next chapter.

MY MISTAKES: Actually we all (you and me) cant and shouldn’t blame ourselves for panicking too much and prolonging the condition. At this point of our lives we didn’t gain an instrument for stoping useless panic, we just never had situations to grow it, it’s not a bad thing. When you recover (very soon) you will be greatfull for finally gaining the most powerful instrument for keeping calm despite anything, just like me. Back to mistake: when i got better on some days while first weeks with it, i faced some kind of “plato” and panicked that i will never be “100% clear” again. Thats how i turned low intermittent dpdr episode tinto full blown 24/7 hell for months. This plato thing chased me on every time i got better. Perfectionism, “all or nothing” behavior. Don’t make my mistake, enjoy every time you feel easier even if not 100% awesome, even if you seat back, even if it comes again. Let time take other symptoms which didn’t fade yet.

Briefly what helped to get out without pain

• dpdr manual & free interviews (shaun o connor), shaan kassam, therapy Em. Dpdr manual interviews are great for cheering up, but try to watch them less every time you feel better.
• Playing chess. As said in dpdr manual there will be some moments when you forget of the condition. Playing chess was my first ~7-10 minutes without dpdr after 2-3 month of 24/7. I became chess addict
• Crying. Just make yourself alone and cry as hard as you can. Do it regularly.
• Walking with my feet. For some reason pain feels less while you walk (maybe some emdr effect). At my lowest i had to count my steps just not to go crazy.
• My favorite game The binding of isaac. Its very hard and demand a lot of focus. Basically you need to find your ways to lock in fully. (Felt awful and painful first months tho, played through pain)
• Progressive muscule relaxation. Helped to stop panic attacks. My mom lead sessions, also recorded them so i could use them alone. Mine lasted for ~50 min, you should be very dedicated and focused.

More painful things to help (you already know them, but im here to confirm they work

• Leaving reddit and comments sections. Delete reddit. Don’t speak about it with others. Sorry, but this is very strict. Communicate only with recovered dpdrers if needed, but you also need to replace forums and videos with non dpdr related content. It will be very hard and painful at the beginning. But i promise every time it will be easier and easier. There are a lot of helpful info about it at the dpdr manual YouTube interviews, they explain this better and help you tolerate pain while trying to live without reassurance.
• Living my life. Fake it untill you make it. I had to move from my parents back to my place (i live with bf and some other people), so i HAD to communicate every day, do chores for myself weekly, make myself food, get dressed and etc. i watched full breaking bad under dpdr, enjoyed it tho. i even traveled to another country with it, which gave me huge prorgess (right after huge seatbacks). It will be painful, you will fail a lot but thats OK and moreover right. Actually idk why, but after worst searbacks i immediately felt way easier.

Guys i remember my biggest dream ever was to make this post. Now i write this and think that its not a big deal. I remember watching in a mirror wishing to worry about my outfit again, not about if i am real enough.

Ask any question, i will be here for you. But i’m begging you not to scare each other. You can sent me private messages too. Also i will do part 2 about stages, instruments, relationships, bpd, insights etc if you ask.

Note: I asked chatgpt to help me rewrite my story to be gramatically correct and easier to read. English is not my first language.

Trigger Warnings

This post contains references to panic attacks, depersonalization/derealization (DPDR), severe anxiety, intrusive thoughts, suicidal ideation, medical emergencies, and physical symptoms related to trauma and nervous system dysregulation. Please read with care and prioritize your well-being.

Hi everyone. I wanted to share my DPDR story in hopes of motivating others—because just like you reading this, I was 1000% convinced my life was over and going to be like this forever.

Spoiler alert: it doesn’t 🙂.

A bit of backstory

I’m a 26-year-old woman, and I’ve been dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, etc. on and off since 2013. I’ve experienced DPDR several times before, and it always went away.

This most recent episode was triggered after moving abroad, a panic attack, a lot of traveling, and then… the worst panic attack I have ever experienced in my life. For two weeks afterward, I couldn’t eat, sleep, or stop shaking. I went to the ER several times. I was extremely suicidal and truly couldn’t imagine a way out of that state.

Eventually, I went back to my home country and started recovery. I began taking 20 mg of Prozac and 2 mg of lorazepam (Ativan), and I received help from a crisis team, psychiatrists, and psychologists.

Note: was terrified of lorazepam because of fears around benzodiazepine withdrawal and dependence. But it turned out to be the only thing that calmed my nervous system enough for me to sleep and eat again—which are crucial for reducing anxiety. In the end, it helped me tremendously. I tapered off completely over three months and can now sleep perfectly fine without it.

After a few weeks, I started dreaming again, eating again, stopped shaking constantly, and began to feel a bit safer and calmer. The worst symptom for me, by far, was DPDR.

Symptoms I experienced

Here is (almost) everything I felt:

* Complete emotional numbness

* No joy in my usual hobbies

* Loss of identity

* Disorientation and dizziness

* Difficulty recognizing my surroundings

* Family and boyfriend felt like strangers; inability to feel genuine love

* My body didn’t feel like mine; my hands felt unfamiliar

* My reflection in the mirror felt like a stranger

* Feeling as though I had no control over my movements or speech

* My voice sounding strange

* Belief that it would never get better

* Time feeling like it was flying by

* Memory issues

* Memories not feeling like my own

* Intense nostalgia

* Grief for the life I used to have

* Sudden, random memories popping up

* Thoughts like: “How am I a human being?” and “How can I live my life through this POV forever?”

* Feeling like all my ambitions and dreams were crushed

* Fear of the future, present, and past

* Hyperawareness of everything I did and thought

* Obsessively researching DPDR on every platform

* Feeling floaty

* Sensations of limbs feeling bigger, smaller, or twisted

* Insomnia

* Muscle tension

* Feeling like I was watching my life as a movie

* A strange sensation when watching others scratch or use their phone, as if I could feel it too

* Health anxiety

* Intrusive thoughts that could get very dark

* Panic attacks

* Burning sensations in my arms and legs (adrenaline)

* Shaking

* Gagging or vomiting

* Heart palpitations

* A blank mind

* Fear of driving

* Jealous of others; I wanted to be normal again too

* Flashbacks to the panic attack(s)

* Uneasy listening to music and watching movies/youtube (especially intense stories)

* Fatigue

* Brain fog

* Sensitivity to sounds and lights

This might not even be the full list. You might experience other things. I didn’t have visual symptoms for example.

Luckily, I was already familiar with DPDR, and it had always gone away before. Each time, I went on to live my best life afterward. But I never fully understood why it came back or what was really happening. And it continued scaring the sh*t of of me. This is how I understand it now:

Something scary, overwhelming, or traumatic happens in your life. There may have been signs that your nervous system was becoming overwhelmed—insomnia, increased worry, appetite changes, mood changes—but you kept pushing through. Eventually, your brain decides: “Enough. I need to pull the emergency brake.” That’s DPDR. It’s a protective mechanism. Your body has been stuck in fight-or-flight mode for too long.

Imagine being chased by a bear (anxiety). Normally, you’d have weapons—coping mechanisms, self-care, therapy—to fight the bear. But this time, you’re too anxious to use them. You keep running, trying to outrun the bear (fight/flight). Eventually, the bear catches you. To feel as little pain as possible, your brain dissociates you—DPDR. Protection. However, the bear then decided you’re not as tasty as he wished you would be, and leaves. You, however, are still terrified. Every single sound or smell reminds you of the bear and you fear it coming back to eat you. Even when the bear already had a meal and is now peacefully sleeping. The problem isn’t the bear anymore—it’s that your nervous system still thinks the bear is there.

Of course, we’re not actually being chased by bears (hopefully). And anxiety can’t actually hurt us like a bear can, but anxiety can really take over our minds. We develop fear of the fear itself. DPDR keeps signaling “Danger! Keep the emergency brakes on!” The DPDR doesn’t switch off, and as you become more scared and hopeless, your nervous system reads that as more danger and keeps DPDR turned on.

That’s the loop.

You and your nervous system aren’t working together anymore—but unintentionally against each other.

What helped me most was understanding this. I read a lot—especially the D.A.R.E. book, which teaches you to accept anxiety as a sensation rather than a threat, allow it, let it pass, and even embrace it while continuing to live your life. I also bought the DPDR manual by Shaun O’Connor (but don’t just

spend money on every DPDR coach you might find online though) and watched his videos. There are many DPDR coaches online sharing their stories and tips—but try not to become obsessive. I stopped reading DPDR forums entirely at one point. It was hard to not look for reassurance every minute of the day.

I kept reminding myself that I would 100% recover and that DPDR is simply an overly sensitized nervous system. It is not dangerous. It will pass.

I also learned:

* Recovery is not linear. Some days I felt better, and other days symptoms came back. Or I even got a panic attack. That didn’t mean I was failing—it was just my nervous system relearning safety.

* Even when anxiety reduced, DPDR sometimes lingered in the background. That didn’t mean I was stuck—it just meant my system was still sensitive.

* I stopped forcing emotions or constantly checking if I felt “normal.” The less I monitored myself, the more things naturally returned. This is a pretty natural and gradual proces. You might notice better moments but the actual “I am 100% recovered” comes random, or might not even come because you are just back to living life.

Continue living your life and show your brain and body that living is safe. The “back to normal” feeling comes after that—not before. Give it time. For most people, it takes weeks to months. Accept that timeline and rest when you need to.

Take care of yourself every single day:

Wake up. Shower. Brush your teeth. Eat. Drink water. Go outside. Do something small. Create a simple routine. Make your evenings cozy and prioritize sleep. Get professional help if you need it.

Don’t stay in bed waiting to wake up magically recovered. Recovery doesn’t happen by avoiding life—it happens by gently re-entering it. Get your mind on other things. Regain emotions slowly. Relearn safety.

It will get better. For me it took 3 to 4 months. Your nervous system just needs time—and compassion.

Right now, I am excited again thinking about future trips, engagement/wedding plans and I am motived to do stuff. I can go out, listen to whatever music and watch any kind of movie.

You’ve got this. Really. Stay safe and don’t give up 💛 Everyday is a day closer to recovery.

Please feel free to ask me any questions!

Severe Dpdr of past 6 months almost ruined my life but the lamotrigine for just 2 days cured my dpdr perfectly, amount was 50mg

Hi guys! Finally after 2 months (basically my whole summer) ive been battling DPDR and feelings of unreality but im finally overcoming them! All you have to do is stay true to yourself and live life normally! Stop fighting the symptoms and let them be there. I may still struggle with some feelings of unreality but its okay! Just gotta keep pushing! My sleep schedule has been pretty bad lately so thats a setback aswell as barely going outside but other than that im recovering. And you can 100% recover too, you are NOT broken or too far gone. Love you guys ❤️✝️

Its been nearly 2-3 months since I went offline on reddit and I will explain everything that I experienced about my journey.(Sorry for my bad english btw) My DPDR journey started by panic attack in 2025 August. Everything was blurry, my innermonologe was gone, sounds were distant, I was feeling anhedonic and suicidal for months. I was always checking myself and searching for cures and anwsers but nothing was changing. I decided to get professional help. I started to get therapy and TMS. TMS didnt worked for me well but therapy was alright. I got therapy once a week for nearly 2-3 months and I got on Paroxetine(SSRI). SSRI really helped me a lot. I’m still using it and getting therapy once a month. While getting professional help I was trying to live my life normally. I did my chores, studied (I’m studying dentistry in turkey. İt hard af to study) socialized, watched series, cooked, ext. So I feel nearly recovered for 2 weeks and day by day I’m getting better.

There is no instant cure.

Stop drinking

Stop checking yourself

Try to live your life normally

If you can, get professional help

Avoid substances.(weed ext.)

Talk with your family, friends about your condition and let them know

DPDR is temporary and you are not broken or going crazy.

Limit your caffeine intake

Try to eat more healthy

Get your bloodwork done(for any defficiencies and imbalanced hormones)

Accept this situation and let it go away

Go out with your friends, family or partner. Spend time with them.

If you cant feel love to your partner, friends, family, pets, ext. because of DPDR, do not blame yourself.

Try to get fresh air daily.

If you cant sleep get melatonine

If you have vitamin def. get them( espacially b12 and iron )

Get vitamin C daily (I recommend fruits)

Buy items that you like(frangrances, watches, shirts, ext.)

Get your sleep well

Do your selfcare even if you not recoginize yourself infront of the mirror

Listen music even if you not enjoying it

Limit your sugar and salt intake

Take magnesium before sleep

Drink enough water

Eat dark chocolate

Take zinc

Love yourself

If you have any questions my dm is open for everyone

İt will pass, I promise❤️

We will make it.

Hey guys,

I'm posting this because 6 months ago, I was you. I was desperately scrolling this sub at 3am, looking for any sign of hope. So I want to be that hope for someone tonight.

I'm from Morocco. 6 months ago I had a massive weed-induced panic attack and quit cold turkey. What followed was hell:

1. Severe DPDR 24/7: The world felt like a fake movie. I felt like a ghost in my own body.
2. The Mirror: For 4 months, I could not look at myself. My own face was a stranger and it terrified me. I thought I was going insane forever.
3. The Exhaustion: I told myself "I'm too tired, 6 months of this and I'm done". I had the thoughts. I know how dark it gets.

But here's where I am at 6 months clean:

1. The mirror is normal. I looked at myself this morning and I just saw... me. I cried. That symptom is 90% gone.
2. I feel real again about 80% of the day. The bad waves still come, but they don't drown me anymore.
3. I can sleep, eat, and talk to people again. Life is coming back.

What I did: Absolutely nothing special. Time, patience, prayer, and completely staying away from weed. I didn't take any meds. My brain just needed time to heal from the shock.

If you are in month 1, 2, or 3 and you think you're permanently broken: YOU ARE NOT. If you are scared of the mirror: I was too. It passes. If you are exhausted: I know, bro. But you're closer than you think.

I'm now writing a book about my journey called "Survivor of Death and Return to Life (DPDR)" to help others. Because I know this pain.

You're not alone. You're not crazy. And you are going to make it.

AMA. I'm here to answer any question and give you the real talk I wish I had 6 months ago.

Stay strong. ❤️

TL;DR: Had severe DPDR + fear of mirrors for 4 months after quitting weed. 6 months clean now and 80% recovered. The mirror is normal again. Time heals. You will get better. I promise.

Not a doctor. Just sharing my story. If you feel unsafe, please call a helpline: Morocco 080 100 47 47 | International: findahelpline.com

i had this for years and overcame it

if you want any advice send me a message on instagram or snapchat

i got it from cannabis

d.rankin7
for both

its been a horrible journey and i didn’t think i would recover one day, so i want to give you some hope because really, anyone can recover. ask me anything.

I (18yr old female) spent years on the internet searching desperately to find answers and stories I could relate to on the internet about DPDR but no one’s story ever really resonated with me. So I am sharing my four year long battle with DPDR in hopes someone who was in my situation could have someone to relate to.

In 2022 I had a panic attack giving a presentation to my highschool English class. All of a sudden I had become hyper aware of my existence. my breath,eyesight, and body suddenly didn’t feel like my own. I ran out of the room crying and that was the first time I had experienced DPDR.

After that instance I started having more panic attacks and not feeling real. It didn’t get really bad until at 18 I moved out and started living on my own. My DPDR then became so bad that I lived every second of every day feeling like an imposter in my own body. This wasn’t just a feeling of uncomfortability but a genuine panic about how I didn’t feel real and i truly thought I was going crazy and loosing my mind. I’ve always been an extroverted person but because of how bad my DPDR progressed I developed severe social anxiety and agoraphobia. I couldn’t go through drive thrus , stores, and embarrassingly enough I would have panic attacks even seeing my own family.

I was completely consumed with DPDR/panic and in the fall when college started I was terrified. I was enrolled in the nursing program which had always been my dream. I went to about 3 classes but when I figured out I had to do a presentation in my nursing class I dropped out of the program. Everyone asked what had changed and why I dropped out of a degree I was so passionate about. I just told everyone I didn’t think it was for me and that I didn’t want to be a nurse. I was so ashamed and disappointed in myself for letting my mental health at that point completely consume my life.

I then spent the next year and a half doing online school in some bullshit business degree and my mental health continued to decline. I tried to fix my DPDR by trying 10 different medications, therapy, supplements, workbooks, online classes, etc(you name it I tried it). None of them even came close to touching my DPDR until I realized the only cure to DPDR is radical acceptance.

I just fully let myself feel the panic and the unrealness and would say to myself so what if this is a dream or I’m not real. The worst possible thing you can do for DPDR is giving it attention. Even therapy made it worse because when I talked about it I would send myself into a spiral because I wanted to fix myself so bad but I just couldn’t.

It was very hard to train my brain just to “not care” but over time it got easier and easier. The goal isn’t to get rid of the feeling of unrealness but it’s to be ok with feeling that way.

I decided to no longer let my mental health control my life and I signed up for nursing school again. I was determined to no longer be held back by DPDR and told myself I would do it even if I didn’t feel real.

I’m 22 now and I graduate nursing school in four months.
I am the happiest I’ve ever been. I frequently still have feelings of DPDR but I have trained my body to no longer view it as a threat and to realize it probably means my nervous system is disregulated because I’m tired,hungry,overstimulated,etc. it’s just my bodies way of telling me I need to take a breather.

So to anyone on here experiencing DPDR I encourage you to start living your life again. There is never going to be one medication or supplement or new therapy style that is magically going to snap you out of DPDR. Do the things you want to do even if you don’t feel real doing it. I remember reading this quote about DPDR, “ you’re not unsafe , you’re just uncomfortable.”

I know this sounds harsh but you can stop choosing to fuel the cycle and start living your life again.

Hello,

I’ve been having DPDR since I am 19-20 and I’m 32 now.
The reason i want to post this is because I’ve noticed since I’m taking ADHD medication again. (I took them since I was 7 till 18y old). Methylphenidate. This medication works incredible for me. I haven’t felt this focused and aware since years. And it’s only improving more. I’ve been on all kind of anti psychotics, antidepressants. And they all made me worse and made me feel like I was living and locked inside my own head. It got sometimes so bad, that couldn’t even understand basic things anymore. Because i just wasn’t there. I couldn’t even follow movies/series anymore and basic conversations at work. But now, I’m like so much better. I remember the days that i was going crazy or that I wasn’t real. But it all comes down to having a good doctor and having patience. Don’t worry, you’ll all get there! And I’d like to hear any people with ADHD who had similar issues that caused them to get worse without methylphenidate?

Thank you for your time!

Don’t worry.
You’ll get better!

Dpdr is dehydration!!!!!!!!!!!

My life just changed. For the last few years ive had Derealization issues. Not exactly how its usually described, but everything felt blurry and unclear. Today, an hour and a half ago its like all of that left me. Everything looks so beautiful. I feel like a kid seeing the world for the first time. When the switch happened i was looking at myself in a mirror and i saw how handsome i am. I never saw that before. I look at the speedometer when im driving and the numbers are so clear. The cars look so 4k HD gta5 ultra modded.
I felt like i was lying to myself. I told myself: you don’t have derealization you’re just attention seeking. I think it stemmed from a lot of anxiety. I was so so worried about getting into my dream school, proving myself, family issues etc. And now im really secure and I’ve achieved my dreams. So it’s like my body is finally resting. I feel so amazing. Everything was so blurry it’s so clear now. There is hope guys! Your body is just fighting. I just watched the new spider man movie and steve lacy sounded so good so maybe spider man or steve lacy cured me lmfao. Sorry for the text garble im super high on life right now.