Posted on May 18, 2024November 26, 2024 by soulmed5

4 Things to Ask Yourself When You Feel Anxious

When we are activated and feel anxious, stressed, experience panic attacks or symptoms of DPDR it is almost always a communication from the body. By communication I mean that the body is trying to bring your awareness to something that it may need, most likely because you didn’t pick up on the other cues the body was giving you.

By taking the time to tune into your body and listening to what it’s trying to convey to you, you will not only strengthen your relationship with your body but will also build your intuitiveness around your needs and desires. This is majorly important when healing from anxiety and panic. When you take care of your body, your body takes care of you.

Asking yourself these 4 simple questions below can help you begin to cultivate a healthier relationship with your body. This practice is also great for learning how to listen to your body’s cues. When you strengthen the relationship between the mind and body, overtime this begins to regulate the nervous system. Building and fostering a regulated nervous system is one of the most important aspects to healing anxiety, panic and DPDR.

Are you Hungry of Thirsty?

When was the last time you drank some water? What have you eaten today?

I know for me (I’m pretty sure I am neurodivergent to some degree) I don’t really get (or I don’t notice) the normal hunger and thirst cues from my body. I usually only realize it’s time to eat when I start to feel a little anxious, irritable or super angry. Although I’m getting better at learning my body’s cues, this is still an important practice I continue to use.

This is a really good question to ask first when you are feeling anxious, panicky, angry or frustrated. The term Hangry didn’t come from nowhere. Have you ever felt irritable when you’re hungry? Did you know that symptoms of low blood sugar can mimic the symptoms of anxiety? Read more about that here.

Do you need a Bathroom Break?

This sounds kind of dumb but hear me out.

As a prospected neurodivergent human being I have the tendency to hold my bladder when I’m busy completing tasks.

one reason I think I do this is because I’m afraid that if I get off task for even a short bathroom break, I will lose my momentum. Obviously, this can be a learning curve for some in the neurospicy world, but your body and nervous system really feel loved and cared for when you go to the bathroom when you need to.

If you ignore the body’s cues to use the restroom, you’re basically telling your body that its most basic needs aren’t important, and this further perpetuates a dysregulated nervous system. Dysregulation in the nervous system can cause symptoms of anxiety and stress.

Are you Tired?

lack of sleep and quality of sleep greatly impacts our moods. Sleep is where the body resets and rejuvenates.

sleep is also where our mind and body resets from the day but even processes traumatic events. This is really important for the health of the nervous system, and as we have already discussed, the nervous systems function is directly related to symptoms of anxiety, panic and DPDR.

Although sleep is crucial for mental health another aspect of a healthy nervous system and mental clarity is rest. Simply resting and reading a book, finding time to slow down and be present with your kids or family is also great for healing and restoration your body and nervous system.

Are you overstimulated?

Overstimulation can lead to stress, anxiety and burnout. Asking this question can help you determine if you are overextending yourself to the point that it is negatively affecting your mental health.

Do you need to take a step back with extra work obligations? What about things you have volunteered for? are you overwhelmed at home? How can you change the dynamic of different areas of your life where you feel overwhelmed and overextended?

And maybe for you it doesn’t look like taking a break from any of your obligations. Maybe you’re not spending enough time doing things that make you feel good and bring you joy, like a special interest, hobby or sport. Maybe your body is telling you to engage more in the things that bring you fulfillment! Things that make you feel alive, excited and grounded in meaning and purpose. The kinda things that make you feel excited to get out of the bed in the mornings.

It’s gonna be ok

Navigating life with anxiety or a panic disorder can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be hard forever. There are tools and there is help. Healing is very much possible. Taking small and simple steps, adjusting your lifestyle and mindset to cultivate a feeling a safety in your body and nervous system will always be a great place to start and a landing pad to fall back on when times get tough.

Best Way to Beat Anxiety: Remove the Fear of the Fear

The number one best way to beat your anxiety and panic attacks is to beat the fear of the fear.

But before I get into how to remove the fear of the fear there are some things you need to know:

^{Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if clicked at no extra charge to you.}

Supporting your body is HUGE in healing anxiety. Have you addressed vitamin and mineral deficiencies? like B12: Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anxiety: What You Need to Know. – SoulMedicinals.

Are you supplementing with Magnesium? if not you should be. Read about that here: Magnesium deficiency and Anxiety: 4 Reasons your Body Needs It – SoulMedicinals

Gut health is also important. read here: Does A Heathy Gut = A Healthy Mind? – SoulMedicinals

Balancing your blood sugar is also crucial for healing anxiety, panic and DPDR. Why Blood Sugar Balance is so Important to Healing Anxiety – SoulMedicinals

Anxiety and panic are usually symptoms of a larger issue in the body. When we fail to listen to the body when it whispers and speaks to us, it will eventually start to scream. This scream from the body is meant to get our attention, our attention to a bigger issue or problem going on in the body. Sometimes this scream can come in the form of anxiety and panic. This is why it is important to note some of the examples above. Supporting your body by trying to find the root cause will serve you in the long run.

Trauma can also cause the fight or flight response to get thwarted causing a person to become stuck in the stress response and cycle. Thats Why I love Yoga as a somatic practice to work with not only the mind but the body. Check out this post Yoga for Anxiety: 6 poses to try today – SoulMedicinals.

Also, if you are struggling with DPDR, Check out my 4 part anxiety and DPDR series where I talk about my story, what it is, what causes it and ways to start healing!

Now on to how to beat the fear of the fear!

How to lose the fear of the FEAR

Have you ever had a panic attack and when it was over constantly feared having another one? terrified to experience the racing heart, sweaty palms, shortness of breath and feelings of despair again? The fear of having another panic attack literally consumes your world that you do everything you possibly can to keep from experiencing it again only for the stress and worry to catapult you right back into another panic attack? and then bam before you know it your stuck in the panic loop and you have no clue how to escape?

Yea, me too.

It was intense, and it felt like there was no way out. So, I understand what you’re feeling and experiencing.

But there is a way out, it’s not necessarily easy but this way out brings lasting change. This way out literally breaks the grip that fear has on you and sets you free.

And it is literally learning to let go of the fear of your symptoms, The fear of having another panic attack, The fear of DPDR (derealization/depersonalization) symptoms. It’s learning new ways to handle anxiety and changing your conceptions and perceptions of anxiety and panic.

So, how do you do this exactly?

I’ll get there but first I want you to think of your worst fear imaginable. What scares you the most when you are panicking, anxious or experiencing DPDR. Ok got your worst fear in mind? great.

I’ll share mine with you, my biggest fear was losing my mind, developing some form of psychosis that I wouldn’t be able to recover from and also that I would hyperventilate and pass out.

ok so now that we have named our biggest fear let’s look at it in a different way. Has this fear ever actually come true for you? have you hyperventilated and passed out in public? have you ever lost your mind? has your heart raced so fast that it blew up? I know these seem like real fears in the moment of panic but be realistic has it ever came true?

Chances are NO they have not. You end up panicking and feeling very uncomfortable in the moment but it eventually ends every single time right, the issue with these fears is that they are coming from the analytical mind, and when you are in the fight or flight response of the nervous system the rational thinking part of the brain is cut off to send all the energy to the parts of the brain that are going to keep you alive in an emergent situation. Rational thought is thwarted in the panic response and therefore our thoughts can be extreme and scary because out brains are desperately trying to make sense of why we feel the way we do. This is obviously unhelpful.

So what do we do with these scary and intrusive thoughts and worries about what will happen to us when we experience episodes of anxiety, panic and/of DPDR?

Stay with me… We challenge them. Wait what? Yes we challenge them, we go full force into the situation or the experience or whatever it is that causes us to panic or be anxious and we CHALLENGE THEM.

When you’re confronted by your fear of passing out or your heart racing so hard it gives out, you challenge it by saying ok then, go ahead, go ahead and let me pass out, go ahead and let my heart give out. I’ve been through this experience before and those things have never happened. So, go ahead anxiety make it happen now I’m ready.

By challenging what you are most afraid of and by speaking it aloud and acknowledging it in this way you actually begin to dissolve the fear, why? Because these things, thoughts and emotions are not real, they are just intrusive thoughts and emotions. your thoughts and fears can’t ACTUALLY hurt you. once you call them out for what they are and call their bluff you can begin to see that your fear is really the only thing keeping you stuck.

When you challenge these thoughts, feelings and emotions you begin to learn how strong and resilient you really are. Nothing in this world will make you feel stronger than conquering your own fear.

So, give it a try, what’s the worst that could happen? you’ll have another panic attack or episode of DPDR? So what? Your now equipped with the knowledge that its truly nothing to fear.

Check out this post on these books for anxiety, panic and DPDR. I recommend all of those books but this one specifically for helping you learn to beat the fear of the fear.

_{Disclaimer: The information contained in this post is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition. If you have any medical or psychiatric concerns, please seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.}

I’ll leave you with this:

“sometimes the fear wont go away, so you’ll have to do it afraid”

Posted on April 10, 2024November 26, 2024 by soulmed5

DPDR and Anxiety: How to Break Free

welcome to Part 4 of my DPDR and anxiety series.

First off, if you haven’t read my personal story and would like to, see part 1 here.

To learn more about what DPDR actually is, see part 2 here.

For a better understanding of what causes it see part 3 here.

_{Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if clicked at no extra charge to you.}

First Off…

The number one most important thing you need to know about DPDR is that you do not have some form of incurable mental illness.

You are simply dealing with a stressed-out nervous system (dysregulated nervous system) that has reached its breaking point with stress and has deployed the freeze response of the nervous system. This is a completely normal response; your brain and body are just trying to protect you. It is also communication from the body, letting you know that something desperately needs to change.

For me, having this information and understanding about DPDR helped me to look at it in a different way. I could slowly begin to move my perception away from that of fear to a place of curiosity and understanding. Knowing this opened up doors for me to really support my body instead of reinforcing the fear that actually kept me in the DPDR loop.

The next most important thing to getting over DPDR is losing the fear of the fear. This is also your ticket to healing panic attacks. When you can come to understand that DPDR is just a symptom of a stressed-out nervous system, that DPDR is simply a manifestation of anxiety, that it is just your body’s alarm bell signaling that change is needed, that’s when you can truly begin to heal.

This understanding is the first step to losing the fear of your symptoms and when you stop fearing your symptoms you already begin to heal simply because DPDR is fueled by anxiety. So, conquer what causes your anxiety and you will inadvertently heal your DPDR. I talk more about that in part 2 here.

Also Important to note…

Another important aspect to healing DPDR, Panic and anxiety is remembering that ANYTHING that combats anxiety and regulates the nervous system will heal DPDR. Any practice that works on those 2 things will get you closer to healing. Remember that DPDR is literally just a manifestation of anxiety.

Second, please be patient. The next most important aspect healing is time and consistency. You didn’t just wake up in a state of dysregulation, it took time to get there. It’s going to take time for healing to happen. When you find a practice that works for you stay CONSISTENT. Your journey to healing should involve lifestyle changes (leaving behind the things that led you to dysregulation). Remember to stick to what is working for you.

Ok so here are great places to start (remember that your healing journey won’t necessarily be like anyone or everyone else’s. Always take what works and resonates with you and leave what doesn’t)

Supporting your Body/Nervous System Regulation

Vitamin B12, Magnesium, gut health and adrenal health are monumental for anxiety/panic and play a role in the regulation of the nervous system. Supporting your body is the foundation you want to work off of. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, gut problems and adrenal burnout are all physical issues that can cause symptoms and manifestations of anxiety.

Also important for supporting the body is blood sugar balance. This is majorly important because symptoms of low blood sugar mimic symptoms of anxiety AND DPDR. Even now I can tell when my blood sugar is getting too low because I feel shaky and in a fog. Eating every 2-3 hours especially in the beginning of my healing journey was KEY. Read more about this here.

Supporting your body also means ditching the things that aren’t good for it, like alcohol. Alcohol feels good in the moment but can really elevate anxiety for several days after. Stimulants like nicotine and caffeine can exacerbate anxiety which can make DPDR symptoms worse. Refined sugar is also another culprit to increased anxiety.

Getting adequate sleep is another powerful way to support the body. When your body is fully rested it is much more resilient to daily stress which in turn lowers anxiety levels.

Grounding or earthing is a great practice that reduces stress and regulates the nervous system.

Having a solid morning routine can positively impact anxiety, I really noticed this for myself. Click here to read about the importance of a good morning routine.

Somatic Practices

Somatic practices involve engaging and connecting with the body in a way that helps release stuck and stored past trauma or emotions.

Movement like yoga is a form of somatic therapy. Movement IS medicine! Exercise of any kind releases feel good neurotransmitters and reduces stress and anxiety, but the practice of yoga cultivates presence and connection with the body. Check out this post on yoga for anxiety.

Breathwork is also another form of somatic practice and is also a form of meditation. It helps bring your awareness and attention to the body and grows your connection with your sensations and emotions/feelings.

Breathwork along with yoga creates congruency in the nervous system that, overtime, creates balance and regulates the nervous system.

Supporting your Mind

You know the saying that you are what you eat? Well, the same can be said for your mind. “As a person thinks, so they are”. You put trash in you get trash out.

So firstly, get off the forums about anxiety, panic and DPDR.

Most of the stories and experiences you are going to find on forums and groups are people who are not healing, who are stuck in their symptoms. Why? because most people that have healed aren’t posting on those pages anymore, why should they? They aren’t thinking about DPDR anymore.

I would, however, still would read forums and stories that I found online but only if the stories were positive.

Since DPDR is a symptom of anxiety and a dysregulated nervous system the goal then becomes to overcome anxiety and regulate the nervous system, right?

When you have supported your body, addressed your physical health and anxiety and DPDR symptoms are still present it is probably because they have now simply become a learned pattern and behavior. AKA an anxious negative feedback loop.

So, stop reinforcing your narrative with negative stories, negative thoughts and negative content.

Neuroplasticity

So how do you get off the feedback loop or negative anxiety cycle? Neuroplasticity exercises.

Neuroplasticity basically means building new neuronal pathways in the brain. It’s like a workout for your brain.

When you respond to certain situations that aren’t necessarily scary, like driving, with anxiety and panic, it’s because negative anxious pathways have been created in the brain.

Neuroplasticity helps you create new positive pathways in the brain and new ways of perceiving situations.

My favorite book that talks about anxiety and neuroplasticity exercises is this one here.

Positive affirmations, EFT (tapping) and meditation are all forms of neuroplasticity exercises you can start today.

Make sure that the content you consume through books, TV, social media etc is reinforcing the narrative of your healing so it needs to be positive content only.

Make sure that it elevates your mood, not dampens it.

Check out this post on the complete list of books I have read that helped me along the way in my healing journey.

Supporting your Soul

This can be a tough subject. You do not need any spiritual or religious beliefs to heal DPDR or anxiety. In my opinion it just elevates and expedites the healing process.

Studies show that prayer can change your mindset, outlook and mood.

Whether you believe in source energy, God, the universe etc. Faith in a higher power increases hope for a better future, for healing and for restoration.

I recommend the Holy Bible, specifically the parables and teachings of Jesus Christ. The untethered soul by Michael A. Singer. The power of now by Echart Tolle Love Wins by Rob Bell and What we talk about when we talk about God by Rob Bell, Having the Mind of Christ by Ben Sternke and Matt Tebbe

Key Takeaway

DPDR is not something to fear. It is simply a manifestation or byproduct of an overworked and stressed out nervous system. It is simply a symptom of anxiety. When you can learn to embrace your symptoms, listen to them as a signal from the body that change is needed you can then begin to lose the fear of the fear and healing can truly begin.

Addressing issues that contribute to anxiety physically, mentally and spiritually will ultimately heal DPDR. Focusing on reducing stress and anxiety is your ticket to freedom!

Remember healing IS possible, give yourself grace when times get tough. You can and will get through this.

I wish you healing my friend.

Why Blood Sugar Balance is so Important to Healing Anxiety

If you are suffering from anxiety and you aren’t focusing on blood sugar balance, what are you even doing?!?

Seriously, balancing your blood sugar levels and keeping it stable throughout the day could massively improve your symptoms! let me explain:

_{Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if clicked at no extra charge to you.}

Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar can Mimic Anxiety

Yep. Low blood sugar can mimic the Symptoms of anxiety, panic and DPDR.

Gone are the days of drinking a sugar packed coffee and skipping breakfast. The girlies (and guys) in the “healing their anxiety era” are dropping caffeine and getting in plenty of water and wholesome foods in the mornings.

Ditching breakfast and running on sugar and caffeine causes a spike in blood sugar levels. This can have serious negative effects on your health, including mental health. Imbalanced blood sugar symptoms are similar to those of anxiety.

Symptoms of low/imbalanced blood sugar:

shakiness
brain fog
racing heart
fatigue
headache
nausea
difficulty concentrating
panic

See how it could be hard to tell the difference between low/imbalanced blood sugar and anxiety?

When I started focusing on keeping my blood sugar balanced my anxiety symptoms really started to improve.

Ways to Balance Blood Sugar Levels

Consuming sugar and carbs first thing in the morning can cause a major spike in blood sugar levels, a spike is when it goes up really high. When blood sugar levels go up high, they will inevitably dip down low.

When the level dips or gets low that’s where the symptoms listed above start to come into play. In order to keep from having spikes and then dips in blood sugar, it’s crucial to eat in a way that balances blood sugar levels.

Instead of spikes and dips like in Fg.1, a more balanced level looks more like a wave as in Fg.2

So how do you lose the spikes and dips and create more stable waves?

Eating smaller meals every 2-3 hours.

Eating smaller more frequent meals and or snacks creates a very steady balance with blood sugar by decreasing major spikes and crashes. Waiting to long to eat can cause a dip in levels that can create major cravings for sugar to bring the levels back up. The problem is when carbs and sugar is consumed it causes a spike in blood sugar, and dips in blood sugar usually follow these spikes.

Consuming enough, protein, fiber and healthy fats

Protein works to balance blood sugar because protein is broken down into glucose really slow, so it doesn’t cause spikes in blood sugar. It also blunts the absorption of sugar and carbs so it’s great paired with high carb/sugar foods.

Fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar levels because it is not absorbed by the body. It is found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes and offers bulk in our diets to help us feel full, provide healthy digestion and balance blood sugar levels by curbing cravings.

Healthy fats like coconut oil, grass fed butter and olive oil help balance blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion of carbohydrates and delaying their absorption into the blood stream.

Key Takeaway

If you’re struggling with anxiety, blood sugar balance is super important to incorporate into your healing journey. The symptoms of anxiety and low blood sugar are very similar and can be hard to tell apart. You can easily achieve a balanced blood sugar by eating smaller more frequent meals every 2-3 hours and incorporating plenty of protein, fiber and healthy fats into your diet!

Balancing my blood sugar was and still is a major contributing factor to my recovery from anxiety, panic and DPDR.

I wish you healing my friend.

DPDR, Panic and Anxiety: What Triggers Them?

If you are suffering from DPDR (derealization and depersonalization) you are probably wondering what has caused it, right? I did too.

I desperately searched for answers.

before I go any further if you don’t exactly understand or know what DPDR is, read part 2 here.

“You may be wondering if you have some form of incurable mental illness?”

Thats ok! I did too. It’s easy to make that assumption when you feel so strange and weird. It’s also scary when nothing you do seems to make it better and your symptoms worsen with stress.

It’s so important to understand that DPDR is a symptom of a dysregulated nervous system. That it stems from anxiety.

DPDR is a manifestation of stress, anxiety and stressed-out nervous system.

when you work on healing and conquering your anxiety and regulating the nervous system, you inadvertently heal your DPDR.

Triggers for DPDR

There are several different major triggers that I will list. Just remember that anything that can trigger anxiety and panic can also trigger DPDR.

Marijuana: I hate to say it but weed can cause DPDR. Why? Because for some, weed can induce anxiety and panic, which can lead to DPDR. Being high mimics some symptoms of DPDR and a lot of people with weed induced episodes of DPDR claim it feels like a never ending high. If this is the category you fall under, ending your relationship with marijuana is important if you want to recover.
Panic attacks: Yep. Panic attacks. They can cause the symptoms of DPDR because it is caused by anxiety. When you panic over your symptoms you make DPDR worse since anxiety and stress are the driving force behind it. Losing the fear of the fear and/or your symptoms is key to healing.
Stimulates: Nicotine, caffeine etc. Stimulates can increase anxiety and heart rate, as well as increasing the excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain, all of which can exacerbate anxiety thus increasing the risk for DPDR or worsening the symptoms. For me quitting smoking was a game changer for my symptoms.
Trauma/stress: Trauma and stress can trigger DPDR because it causes anxiety. Trauma can cause a person to get stuck in the negative feedback loop of anxiety.

This is not an exhaustive list, just a highlight of the most common triggers. Now let’s talk about what can trigger anxiety and possibly DPDR.

Anxiety and Panic Triggers

As well as the things mentioned above:

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies: Vitamin b12 could arguably be the most important vitamin for the healthy function of the nervous system Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anxiety: What You Need to Know. – SoulMedicinals. All the B vitamins are important for the healthy function of not only the nervous system but the entire body. Magnesium is involved in over 600 enzymatic processes in the human body. Read more about mag deficiency and anxiety here.
Lack of sleep: Sleep is majorly important for mental health by not only improving cognitive function and memory but sleep is also vital for processing traumatic events and stressful situations.
work and home life stress: Creating balance at work and home is so important for anxiety and stress. Take note of what’s all on your plate. How can you better delegate your responsibilities to lessen your mental and physical load?
Alcohol and drug abuse: Alcohol and drug consumption not only decreases quality of sleep but causes imbalances in neurotransmitters like dopamine and GABA, both of which play a role in mental health. Alcohol and drugs can also cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Gut imbalances: Gut issues like SIBO, H Pylori and chronic antibiotic use can cause imbalances in the gut microbiome leading to mental health issues like anxiety. Read more about that here.
low blood sugar: When your blood sugar gets to low, it can mimic the signs of anxiety, panic and DPDR.

Don’t worry!

There is hope! If you have found yourself in the unfortunate situation of DPDR, this won’t last forever. Even if it feels that way right now.

It takes work but it is absolutely worth it and most of all POSSIBLE.

Stay tuned for part 4 on how to heal DPDR!

DPDR Exposed for What It Really Is

Welcome to my DPDR series part 2. In this 4-part series I am covering my personal story of my struggle with anxiety and DPDR, what DPDR is and how to heal. If you haven’t read part 1 (my personal story) check it out here.

DPDR: what you really need to know?

DPDR or derealization/depersonalization is defined as a mental health disorder where a person feels detached from their body and/or reality. It’s completely harmless and it can’t hurt you although it can feel frightening and very uncomfortable. DPDR is the freeze response of the nervous system. It’s role is to protect us. When the nervous system is dysregulated we can get “stuck” in the freeze response.

Symptoms of DPDR

DPDR is characterized by the feeling of being detached from oneself. Also feeling like your living life from inside an imaginary glass container. Feeling that the world is fake or you’re living out a movie scene. The wide range of symptoms can include Brain fog, inability to concentrate, the feeling of impending doom (the feeling that something terrible is about to happen) fatigue, existential thoughts, fear of going insane, or losing touch with reality, irrational fears involving the world around you and the inability to recognize yourself in the mirror or your loved ones.

Why am I experiencing DPDR?

If you’re having these symptoms, you’re probably wondering why on earth you are feeling this way. There’s a simple explanation for that. When we experience the symptoms of DPDR it’s our brain and nervous systems way to protect us from a stressful situation or experiencing any further trauma. Our nervous system is basically saying it has reached its max capacity to handle stress and is shutting down.

Fight or Flight and FREEZE(DPDR)?

Humans are designed with the fight or flight response of the nervous system for protection. Just imagine our ancestors running from threats like a bear or tiger, thank goodness for the stress response, right? The adrenaline fight or flight sent pumping through their veins that increased their strength and agility to prepare them to either fight the predator or run from them, kept them safe.

Freeze

There is also another mode of the nervous systems response to stress and that is the freeze response. The freeze response is deployed when either the fight or the flight response isn’t feasible. It’s basically the body’s last-ditch effort. Consider an ancestor that came upon a threat like a tiger, who was unable to run away, and the attempts made to fight off the tiger failed. In this situation since there is the potential for serious trauma caused by the tiger, the body then deploys the freeze response. This causes the sensations of separation from one’s body in an attempt to decrease the pain and the sensations of trauma of the experience. The freeze response works as a buffer between what is happening in our environment and how we perceive it.

In normal responses the nervous system would only stay in this state for a short period of time, until the threat or traumatic event has ended. It becomes a problem when dealing with everyday stress, traumatic experiences that are not properly coped with or triggers from drugs and alcohol that causes the nervous system to get STUCK in the stress cycle.

So, if you feel like your head is in a glass jar, that’s a perfectly normal response. It’s basically putting a buffer between the outside world and your perception of it. Your body is just trying to protect you! Even though there is no real danger.

That’s sounds terrible?! It is but only when you don’t understand it. When you can learn to understand what’s happening to you, the quicker you can heal.

But why are my thoughts so scary?!

You may also be wondering why you’re having terrible existential thoughts and everything around you feels scary and off. Well, there’s a good explanation for that as well! When we are in fight or flight and or the freeze response of the nervous system we are on high alert.

During these phases of the nervous system the amygdala (the stress center of the brain) is tuned in and turned on. The amygdala prepares us to fight, run or freeze. When the amygdala is activated, this shuts down the logical thinking parts of the brain (the frontal lobe). Our mind is desperately trying to figure out why we feel the way we do but without the help of our logical thinking brain, our thoughts can turn weird and scary.

Knowledge IS Power

This all can be incredibly frightening and frustrating unless you are impowered with this knowledge. Understand that DPDR is simply the freeze response of the nervous system. This can help you look at your symptoms in better ways.

This can open the door for healing because DPDR is driven by fear. When you can begin to perceive your symptoms as your body’s way of protecting you, you can start to dissolve the fear. Once you can dissolve the fear, you can begin to end the cycle of stress. Then the symptoms of DPDR naturally dissipate.

Click here for part 3

I wish you healing friend.

DPDR, Panic and Anxiety: My story

Welcome to my DPDR (depersonalization and derealization) and Anxiety series. part 1.

^{_{In this post I am going to share with you my journey with DPDR, the symptoms that I had, what I believe brought it on and how long I struggled with it. Ya know, just the important stuff.}}

I am sharing my story in hopes that I can help someone else who is suffering. I know this is going to reach the people who need it and are desperate to heal and return to a fulfilling and joyful human experience.

My Story

I had my first experience with DPDR about 4 years ago. It was the summer of 2020. What a great year right? My youngest was around 7 months old and she was a terrible sleeper. I was getting around 2-4 hours of sleep a night, working full time as a home health nurse, taking care of my family and my house all while dealing with a very painful postpartum condition I was having a hard time healing from. I also had to have a caesarian to deliver my baby and that experience was really traumatic for me. I also was a drinker and a cigarette smoker who did not eat a healthy diet. I was burnt the F*** out. Since I didn’t listen to my body and take a break, cut my hours down at work, ask for help with my baby, change my lifestyle and see a specialist for my health problem, my adrenals burnt out and I started having massive anxiety and panic attacks. These panic attacks further perpetuated my stress and landed me on the hamster wheel that is the “panic cycle”.

The combination of being stuck in the panic cycle and my adrenals being burnt out led to DPDR. My first experiences with it felt like I was in a fog, and I had this feeling of impending doom that was slightly intense and would come and go. I didn’t even know that’s what it was at the time. I had no explanation for why I felt fearful all of a sudden for seemingly no reason.

This lasted for around a month to maybe 2 months. I did various things to get better and heal from burnout that helped a lot. I went back to work, my youngest started sleeping through the night. I got better. The end. I wish!

Burnt out Again

In the following 4 years since I burnt out the first time, I didn’t stick to a healthier diet and lifestyle. I continued to drink alcohol, I continued to smoke cigarettes, I quit taking the supplements that was recommended to me by my physician and I did nothing to manage the daily stress from being a working mother and wife.

On top of all of the above, in the fall of 2022 my brother passed away. Tragically and unexpectedly. I did not cope with his death very well. This inability to cope led me to drink more and focus less on my mental and physical health.

I also tried smoking weed ONCE a few months following his passing in hopes to ease my stress and anxiety. This unfortunately caused me to have a terrible trip that set me into a massive panic attack and DPDR episode that lasted several months.

The feeling of being in a fog, the sensation of impending doom and existential thoughts came flooding back to me like I had experienced in my first period of burnout. I managed to cope for a few months and thought I was getting better until I got stuck in bad weather while driving home from work and ended up having a massive and debilitating panic attack in my car.

This led me to fear driving and I started having panic attacks at home shortly after, so this then began making me fear being by myself. I quit eating because it got to the point that I was waking up in the morning with panic attacks so severe I was vomiting. These panic attacks led to worsening of my DPDR that was so bad I was terrified to step outside of my house. I had fears of everything and strange thoughts that I was going to go insane and that I had some form of an incurable mental health disorder.

I would have a panic attack if I was left alone, I would panic if I had to leave my house, I would panic if I even heard the word mental illness because it triggered my fears of going crazy or insane. From the start of my panic attacks to its peak, where my symptoms were at the worst they would get, was a span of about 3 months.

During those 3 months I experienced terrible brain fog, irrational fears, the feeling of impending doom, the world around me looked fake and scary, like random objects seemed scary for no reason, I constantly felt fearful of everything, and I had terrible existential thoughts and dread. I became terrified of death and dying, and I felt like I was living completely separated from the world around me. It felt like I was living behind a pane of glass. My major symptom that was the hardest for me was the fear of going insane, developing schizophrenia or psychosis or something else. It really weighed me down for those months. Another major fear of mine was the fear that I would never get better. I constantly feared being scared and miserable for the rest of my life. I really thought for a while I was not going to get any better.

Surprise! I DID THOUGH…

Despite all my fearful, negative and ugly thoughts, none of it actually came true! shocker, right? I mean I spent so much time obsessing over my symptoms fearing the worst-case scenario with every sensation I felt in my body and none of it came true. Not even slightly true.

Now that I have read and researched and put in the work to heal myself from these debilitating symptoms, I want to share with others how they can heal to. This didn’t happen overnight, it’s been nearly 10 months since I had my debilitating panic attack in my car and I am still working on driving long distances by myself, so this will take time and effort and persistence, but it can be done!

Enough about me

Stay tuned for part 2!

I want to leave you with this one thought. DPDR is not something to fear. It can be conquered. YOU can get better.

I believe in you!

I wish you healing my friend.

Reading List for Anxiety, Panic and DPDR

If you are suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, DPDR or all 3 rolled into one, you are not alone. I understand how incredibly isolating and frustrating dealing with those issues can be. I’ve been in the thick of panic attacks and DPDR myself, that’s why I created this reading list for anxiety. All the books included below have personally helped me in my own healing journey.

When you find yourself stuck in the panic cycle, everyday can feel like ground dog day, the same fears and worries day in and day out. It can seem hopeless to find your way out. I get it! But it doesn’t have to be hopeless. It doesn’t have to seem impossible, and you do not have to live in fear and worry for the rest of your life.

_{Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if clicked at no extra charge to you.}

It is going to take some work on your part, work that might seem ridiculous or even to simple at times. Putting in the work in the beginning was the hardest part for me, but finding my own freedom and breaking the hold that anxiety and DPDR held on my life has been worth every amount of effort I have put in and then some!

With that in mind, as you go through this list and begin to read these books, keep an open mind and heart to the messages and take what resonates with you and leave the rest.

Reading list

Here is the full list of all the books that I have read that have shaped and transformed my relationship with my anxiety and DPDR. These books have changed my perceptions, lead me to deeper knowledge and understanding, all of which has allowed me to heal and conquer my anxiety, panic attacks and DPDR.

At Last A Life – Paul David: I love this book because it is simple and easy to understand, the way Paul talks about his own struggles and difficulties makes him so easy to relate to. He also wrote a follow up book At Last A Life And Beyond – Paul David
D.A.R.E – Barry Mcdonagh: Practical approaches to getting over anxiety, panic and DPDR. They also have an App that includes videos of the author voice guiding you through panic attacks and DPDR episodes.
Badass ways to End Anxiety & stop Panic Attacks! – Geert Verschaeve: Again, practical ways to get over anxiety and panic.
You can heal your life – Louise Hay: This book talks about the approach of positive affirmations and how you can change the way you think to change your life.
Neuroplasticity – Adrian Winship: Neuroplasticity is key in healing anxiety, panic and DPDR. This book talks about different ways to incorporate neuroplasticity into your daily life.
F*ck Coping Start Healing – Dennis Simsek: This author offers different approaches and perceptions to healing your anxiety.
The Anxiety Cure – Klaus Bernhardt: This one might be my most favorite. This Author discusses healing anxiety by using Neuroplasticity and changing your perceptions of anxiety.
The Healing Code – Alexander Loyd: A unique approach to many different health concerns that uses spirituality mixed with energy healing.
Do one thing different – Bill O’Hanlon: This author offers different approaches to all kinds of daily problems to change our perceptions and reactions and facilitate long lasting change.

Bonus Reading

Supporting your body is really important if you are suffering from anxiety, panic and DPDR. It’s not always all in your head!

Check out these books too:

Could It Be B12? – Sally M. Pacholok, R.N., BSN – B12 plays a major role in the healthy function of the nervous system.
The Magnesium Miracle – Carolyn Dean M.D., N.D.: Magnesium deficiency and how that can affect many systems of the body including mental health.

Best Podcast Episode(s) for Anxiety

I recently listened to a podcast on anxiety, and I thought it perfectly explained what I’ve personally been through.

First off I love Rob Bell. I’ve read several of his books that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m going to be writing posts about his books I’ve read soon! so stayed tuned for those.

If you know of Rob Bell already and have listened to his content, you might be wondering what he knows about anxiety because he doesn’t come across as an anxious person (at least not me). Well, it’s not him it’s actually his wife. He brings her on to his episodes occasionally.

She is great. I always enjoy hearing her perspective.

In these specific episodes, it’s a 2-part series, she talks about her experience with anxiety and opens up about her struggles. It’s nice to hear from someone else about their own experience and that they, too, have been through what you have or are going through.

there were so many AHA! moments for me as she was talking about different things that she has learned along the way in her own healing journey.

I encourage you to listen to both parts. I understand that every journey is different and when something works great for some, that doesn’t mean it will for others.

Take what serves you and just leave the rest.

https://overcast.fm/+EA14O0BVY Part 1

https://overcast.fm/+EA16fPsOI Part 2

Remember that no matter how you feel right now, this is just a feeling, and feelings can be changed, shifted and transformed. You are loved and important.

Anxiety sucks, but it doesn’t suck forever. Keep going.

Are you Hungry of Thirsty?

Do you need a Bathroom Break?

Are you Tired?

Are you overstimulated?

It’s gonna be ok

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