DP New Year (2021) Update + C19
Hey everyone! Firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope who ever is reading this had a beautiful christmas and NY, I’ve had so many of you contact me through instagram and I have to firstly say most of you start your message with “I hope it’s ok to message you” I want to say- YES! Honestly, feel free to message me over there ANYTIME! For one, going through DP made me feel the most alone I ever felt in my entire existence, I vowed that once I recovered I’d make sure to get back to anyone with DP before answering anyone else because I want to support you, and hope that no one feels as alone as I did and secondly, when you contact me, it helps me too!! It makes me feel like my experience wasn’t weird or unusual, I feel so much less alone, so thank you for that. ❤
If you want to contact me, my instagram is www.instagram.com/thelifeprojectclinic ! Just send a DM. Also my partner is a Clinical Psychologist and is doing his PhD on DP/DR… I’m grateful for his clinical experience and wealth of knowledge on the subject. We’re in Australia so I’m unsure of your health coverage, but he’s looking at conducting sessions with people who struggle with DP/DR through Zoom in the near future.
So my update is; I’m feeling 98% recovered!! YAY! I’m so excited to say that. How did I do it? By following the steps outlined in my previous blogs but to kick that last maybe 10% of DP that was lurking around; I practised the HARDEST technique in ‘Shaun O’Connors DP Manual’ ; ignoring it and NOT speaking about it. I stopped talking about it with family and friends, I moved my mind along as soon as the terrifying thoughts hit vs trying to answer it!! If I felt the thought, I was like NOPE, and would grab something really distracting like a game on my phone, a loud song or literally just anything else. At first, I sucked at this. It was like driving a car or learning to read again, I just couldn’t get the hang of it and it was a sloooowww process, but now that muscle in my brain is strengthened. I stopped looking for answers on youtube, reddit, instagram etc… Whenever I wanted to tell my partner about how I was feeling, I stopped myself and gradually it helped me to lose focus of the DP and live my life again.
Another very random thing that’s helped me (again, on top of the previous tips outlined in my other blogs like daily exercise, meditation, no research etc) has been to wear blue blocking glasses at night and wear sunglasses in the day, no matter how sunny it is… for some reason I believe the DP was being set off a tad by certain kinds of light! I can’t be certain that this was happening but I’ve found those 2 kinds of glasses to be very helpful.
The last thing I didn’t talk about in my past blogs that ended up helping was just plain old TIME. I hate even saying that because I’m the most impatient person on the planet, and when DP is around all I wanted was for it to LEAVE and leave damn FAST. But, patience has been my best friend, time and working on all these techniques and ultimately changing my life has given me my life back, and it’s a beautiful life, just like I remember it before DP.
So that’s where I’m at, unfortunately, there’s been a outbreak of C19 in Brisbane and it’s got me feeling pretty nervous, I’m starting to scan my body again like I did pre: DP…. I’m feeling panicky and I know if I let it spiral out of control, I could go into the freeze response and feel depersonalised again… so this is just me venting, but I’m going to just go gentle with myself and try to just relax into what ever is meant to come my way, it’s easier said than done but I don’t want to go back to where I started so really, it’s my only option. I know Brisbane and Aus in general has had pretty good run with C19 vs other countries and I’m really truly thinking of everyone out there who’s been struggling with it, it’s bloody hard.
Lastly I want to tell you, with every fibre of my being; You are SAFE. DP/DR is NOT dangerous. You do NOT have a special version that’s going to be with you forever. Anyone who says they have it forever has NOT put the work into getting well. Remember; you’re capable of healing, I PROMISE you that. 110%.
Sorry for such a quick update, I’m busy right now making new music but again, if you want to contact or speak to my partner on a professional level feel free to message me on instagram.
Big love and light your way, Em. x
