Top Tips to Cure Anxiety & Depersonalization
- Fenella Standing
- Sep 23, 2016
- 3 min read
Here are my tips to start making your way out of a panic disorder, depersonalization disorder (DP) and depression. If you have any of these conditions, the following will help you take the first step you need to getting better:
1. Go for a run
Panic and panic attacks are caused by the fight or flight mechanism which releases excess adrenaline and cortisol (the stress hormone) into your system. By running, you can dispel a lot of this excess adrenaline and your system can start to return to normal stress levels.
2. Surround yourself with people
Even though you may feel like you don't want to be around anyone, it is so important to be around friends, family and people that you're close with. You can talk about it or not talk about it, but if you can escape from the dark spiral in your head even for one minute in a whole evening, then you're heading in the right direction.
3. If something terrifies you, be brave and do it!
Recovery is all about exposing yourself to scary things over time, so that you learn that the situation or event is harmless. Start small - go to the end of the street. You may feel dizzy and faint, or think you're going to collapse or the world is going to end... but it isn't! Try it again tomorrow and it will be a little easier. Then start to push yourself further and further. You will soon learn that the panic is just a feeling in YOU, not the place where you are.
4. Watch old movies
Watch your favourite movie from when you were growing up. Watching something you haven't seen in a while will bring back happy memories, as well as distracting you from everything going on in your head.
5. Do a puzzle
Every moment you spend not thinking about panic and DP is one moment closer to being desensitised and back to your old self! Go to a local charity shop and buy a second hand puzzle for pennies. It's amazing how much focus they take and how addictive they are. You can lose yourself for hours and by the time you finish, you'll realise that you've been feeling great the whole time! Once you've done this, you'll fully understand that the anxiety is driven by continuously focusing on it.
6. Get up and go
Get up, have a cold shower (to reduce the blurriness), get dressed, do your hair, put on make up and go out! Looking good makes you feel good and will give you the confidence boost you need to be brave.
7. Do it in steps
If something is daunting, take it one step at a time. My most recent challenge was going to France - I never thought I would be able to do it, so I broke it down. My first challenge was to pack the suitcase and put it in the car. Then drive from mine to my parent's house. Then go to the airport ect, so that I was taking everything in bitesize pieces. When something feels like a smaller task, its much less daunting. And once you've completed the whole thing, you'll look back and realise how well you dealt with the situation and your confidence will soar!
8.The main thing to remember at all times...
You are forever underestimating your ability to cope, and overestimating the size of the threat
The more you overcome, the more you will realise that this is true. Keep pushing forward and trying new challenges and that threat will get smaller while your confidence grows!
Comments