Posted by jazzdog on November 11, 2001, at 18:09:52
In reply to Re: Refractary bipolar depression To Scott !!! » jazzdog, posted by JohnX2 on November 11, 2001, at 8:53:05
Hi John -
Thanks for your message. Perhaps the reason the Maudsley is finding some success with this treatment is that depersonalization and derealization are reactions to excessive NMDA stimulation - parts of the brain get overexcited and 'stuck' there. Some people describe lamictal as more clearly separating the waking and dreaming states - any thoughts on how that might work?
The symptoms of depersonalization involve feeling radically cut off from one's body, and incorporate everything from out of body experiences to not recognizing oneself in the mirror. Derealization involves a sense of unreality - life feels two-dimensional, as though viewed through glass or on a movie screen. Essentially, life becomes a waking dream, with a distorted time sense, emotional detachment, and a lack of a continuous and coherent sense of self. Both dp and dr are symptoms of all kinds of illnesses - depression, schizophrenia, ptss, panic disorder, etc. In my case, the derealization is chronic and lifelong, and therefore qualifies as a primary disorder all on its own. It's the least understood of all the dissociative states, and the least researched - I think this is because people with derealization seem normal from the outside - they're functional, not delusional, etc. Inside, however, there's a sense of radical disconnection with the environment and, of course, with the people in it.
cheers, Jane
poster:jazzdog
thread:83508
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011104/msgs/83921.html