Depersonalization from drugs

Its kind of scary cause i thought i was going insane for a while, i blame drug use and depression for my Depersonalization i experience everyday

I smoked weed when I was in university. I had done it many times before, and went through a stage of taking pills too; but this particular time I woke up feeling a lot different. At first I thought I was hungover and went back to bed for a few hours. But now... 3 years down the line I can promise you that Its not a hangover. I feel like I am in a dream everyday. It is a struggle to pull out of depression everyday and try to remain positive, but its possible.
Although my first year and half was pretty much spent exactly like the first 15 minutes of the film, eventually I gave up on doctors and psychiatrists because they just couldn't cure me. they couldn't see it, so they think it doesn't exist. they are all full of *beep* they get paid far too much (head doctors I mean)

Anyway the plus points are that I now feel like I am drugs on everyday of my life, even though I don't feel mega happy unless I make myself by getting myself into a good emotional state. Oh and I appreciate living now, and try to better myself constantly with self help, and improvement. I know there are other people out there just like me, but I've never met them. I hope there will be a cure one day. My memory is terrible and I walk out into roads without looking constantly. Its dangerous, but its just the way I am now. If anyone knows a one pill cure though I'd swallow it in a second. unless Justjutt recommends one, because I just blasted him for trivializing my condition.

Dan

P.S. Its amazing to think that when I first because ill, I wouldn't have been able to write a single sentence of type on my computer, but now I can just keep typing. that is how much better I have gotten

I've never heard (personally) of anyone experiencing depersonalization while on pot. When I'm high, I never have an issue defining the boundaries of myself, or being self-aware. However, that is why I also do mushrooms. In fact, it's kind of the point. But the more you do it, the more you learn to control the feeling.

I can't imagine that drugs (I can't speak for LCD or other manufactured chemicals, only organic) could instill a permanent sense of depersonalization. I can see them, however, altering your perception of life and triggering a condition that might have already been present (anxiety, depression, etc).

I can see how drugs could enhance those feelings if they were already present, or if experienced some time after taking said drugs. Whenever I get sad or depressed now, it tends to be much worse since I now over-analyze life and my surroundings.

To those of you who are suffering from this (hopefully not) permanent condition, I wish you the best of luck.

I don't think I've had depersonalisation symptoms but one thing I could relate to is that it weed "triggered" in me something that it doesn't trigger in other people. It's like all the downsides that they use to make it illegal seem to affect me more then other people. For others I know, they seem to function fine. When it's been months and months since I smoked, I can smoke once or twice without problems, but if I keep at it and get addicted or into the habit of it, it seems to weigh me down more and more.

Lethargy, self conscious, worrying too much etc etc. It's like the weed conflicts with my default personality and stops me from being myself. In one way, I'm happy since it's cheaper on my wallet.

So my experience is nothing like the movie, but I could still relate to it in some way.

I smoked weed every day for 3 and a half years from 15-18 (until last month) and was on opiod pain medications from 16-18 for my back, but kept abusing them periodically. I overdosed on a fully synthetic opiod called Tramadol about 7 months ago and after that drugs would trigger some really odd things in my brain, but idiot I am I kept using until I reached a breaking point. For me, that was a month ago. I went on a binge of Oxycontin and Weed and it triggered an episode of severe depersonalization that is only now starting to regress. I truly felt like I would never be back to normal. I quit everything that day and drastically changed my life immediately, and my body has been detoxing and getting back to normal since. I had migraines with aura (Which I partially attribute the depersonalization to) everyday for about 3 weeks that only subsided last week. I'm so fcking blessed that I'm going to be ok and I have a feeling, from what I've read up about it, depersonalization disorder is just as much (if not entirely) psychological as it is real lasting damage for the majority, and giving in to it just makes it so much worse and longer lasting. The brain is capable of incredible recovery but it is also capable of doing incredibly negative things based on what you've convinced yourself is going on. That being said, there are definitely cases of people out there who try and try and do everything they can and just cant seem to come back. To them I am extremely sympathetic. I am to all cases of it, because its truly terrifying.

Just never give up hope is my point.

I suffered from severe DP for a long time after having a depression/anxiety breakdown after taking ectasy. I had previously suffered from DP several years earlier (I believe the cause being Roacutane - the acne drug - as once I stopped taking it, the symptoms passed). My DP affected everything my life - I was studying and could not focus, I was disconnected from friends and family and I felt completely trapped.

I tried many different medicines and therapies to attempt to deal with the problem - it was only through engaging with others through the web forum dpselfhelp.com that I was able to get some great tips for the proble. I saw shrinks and psycologists but they never helped - I always knew the cause of my DP was a chemical reaction via the drugs - not a traumatic experience.

I identified others having sucess taking Citalopram (SSRI)and Clonazepam (Benzodiapene). I responded very well to the treatment and eventually my depressions, anxiety and most importantly DP disapated. I have been taking these two meds for 8 years and for the most part feel fine (unless I miss a dose). In no way should this be viewed as a recommendation, however it is evidence there can be a cure to the hell of DP.

Good luck to anyone who has this disorder.