Why is The treatment and knowledge about DP/DR Depersonalisation So Bad?

CSOSulla

Hi All,

As the title suggests, Why is The treatment and knowledge about Depersonalisation / Derealisation DP / DR / DDD so bad in Ireland? Its bad everywhere, but here, its as though no one has EVER heard of it!
What is Depersonalisation:

Its the 3rd most common underlying mental disorder, is a major cause of anxiety, panic, OCD and self harm. From 1-2% of the population have it, but is so under-researched its actually hopeless almost being a sufferer.

"Here is an abstract from a 2003 [In DP/DR research terms still a relatively new article!]

"Depersonalisation (DP) and derealisation (DR) are subjective experiences of unreality in, respectively, one’s sense of self and the outside world. These experiences occur on a continuum from transient episodes that are frequently reported in healthy individuals under certain situational conditions to a chronic psychiatric disorder that causes considerable distress (depersonalisation disorder, DPD). Despite the relatively high rates of reporting these symptoms, little research has been conducted into psychological treatments for this disorder. We suggest that there is compelling evidence to link DPD with the anxiety disorders, particularly panic. This paper proposes that it is the catastrophic appraisal of the normally transient symptoms of DP/DR that results in the development of a chronic disorder. We suggest that if DP/DR symptoms are misinterpreted as indicative of severe mental illness or brain dysfunction, a vicious cycle of increasing anxiety and consequently increased DP/DR symptoms will result. Moreover, cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms such as specific avoidances, ‘safety behaviours’ and cognitive biases serve to maintain the disorder by increasing awareness of the symptoms, heightening the perceived threat and preventing disconfirmation of the catastrophic misinterpretations. A coherent model facilitates the development of potentially effective cognitive and behavioural interventions."

This is a huge mental health issue, but gets so little attention in what is an under funded and staffed health issue anyway.

Now the media blitz has screwed up Benzodiazepine prescribing, they are doing the same with Anti Depressants, happy pills, over-prescribing etc etc. Why always aimed at people with Mental health issues, not Statins, or BP, Cancer meds [which are in fact WAY LESS effective than Anti Depressants! People with DP/DR really need these meds, its about the only KNOWN way to help. CBT and relaxation help, but apart from a ton of quack remedies, thats it.

We have enough to face as it is. I have had this for 35 years, since age 14, Chronic, disabling and for 10 years MY OWN HELL! Yet we are made to feel like junkies or worse when we are already fighting a little known and massively understudied Disorder.

In Ireland the situation for sufferers under GP's is utterly awful. Meds which are integral to just surviving Depersonalisation and OCD etc etc are being withdrawn, patients left with nothing! Purely because some total moron in the HSE decided on a blanket cut in Benzodiazepine and anti anxiety meds! People will die, MORE suicides, more self harm, more hopelessness. Its so bad suffering DP in the first place, now being demonised simply because no one knows about it is criminal. Its been known about for 140 years and known as an underlying disorder in itself for many years now. But who cares? I know my own GP, is more worried about their reputation in prescribing than in patient care. Drs are getting so bad that patients are dying. Just because of media and politics, NOTHING to do with care or help. What happened to duty of care by Drs and health workers?

There is a large and growing Face Book group, but we are simply left on the sidelines. The research now is NO better than when I first got it in the 80's and often patients don't find out what they have for years as Drs know so little about this!

This is so wrong, but nothing EVER happens!

Sorry for the rant, but I know so many young people so close to suicide and the only people they have are us the people within the DP/DR groups, which are small and very sparse. Even long term sufferers [which make up 25% who will never recover from it] are finding it tough as the very things that help, that make us feel in any way normal are being cut from under us. We in many cases took years to become stable, even ON meds, now we are being forced into a situation where, many will simply give up the fight. Its always a fight just surviving with DP, but this, this makes even people like me who have lived good valued lives, working and productive, just want to give up and yes I really do feel like that its that bad! Its horrifying and TBH GPs and others simply DO NOT CARE!

Regards [again sorry for the rant, but end of tether!]

- Shaun

Kitty B

I am very interested to speak with you. Can you please give me your Facebook details? I have suffered with DR for 8 years now and I would like to help to get the word out there.

JuliusCaesar

There's quite a bit of research on this

JuliusCaesar

Here's a self-help group: http://www.pods-online.org.uk/

Charlie589

I know it doesn't apply to you long term suffers but I have been suffering from depersonalisation apparently for a month now. So sick. Can't drive can't work can't function. Got so bad I went back to hospital for 4th time and a sinus ct scan showed a massive infection. Just want to post this in case it can help any people starting to suffer just to rule it out x

Airyfairy12

Your post reminded me of these videos that I found, theyre very informative ..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H564Dmsksz0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_832948019&feature=iv&src_vid=H564Dmsksz0&v=dMzN6Cxnxlg

Regarding your rant on the mental health care in Ireland, I find that it's fairly deplorable across the board, as a social anxiety sufferer ive found it impossible to get any real help, ive been to 5 GP's and 4 different councillors in the last 6 years, Ive had social anxiety for 10 years and was only diagnosed with it 3 years ago, each of the counsellors and doctors strongly advised that I get CBT treatment, not one of them offered me the treatment themselves nor could they tell me where or who I could contact to receive the treatment, one of the counselors told me she didnt know how to do it and she didnt know much about it... they each just recommended books on CBT and anxiety, its a very basic therapy yet many Irish therapists either arent trained in it or simply refuse to offer the treatment to anyone who's receiving discount counselling or not paying the full fee.. to get CBT it will cost more than I can afford but seems to be the only treatment that works for my condition, I cant get a job because of the severe social anxiety and because of this I cant afford the treatment so its a vicious cycle, the only options seem to be talk therapy and medication which were both unhelpful for me, you say that they wont prescribe you medication.. its the only thing a doctor has offered me, when I told him the side effects I was having he didnt believe me and ignored my requests to stop taking the pills, I had to quit cold turkey myself which youre not supposed to do but I had no other choice, the withdrawals were horrendous. Doctors really do not care. For the most part I found the counsellors patronising and disinterested, ive often left sessions feeling worse and even more hopeless than before I started therapy.

I feel like there's allot of propaganda in Ireland lately regarding mental illness and encouraging people to talk to someone and seek help, as if theyre more concerned about looking like theres help for people rather than actually providing any real, meaningful help. There are so many basic therapy treatments widely practiced all over Europe and the UK that arent practiced here...I dont know why the mental health system here is so bad, besides it being underfunded the counsellors and GP's just dont seem to be properly trained to deal with anything other than minor depression, I dont think I could have been that unlucky to have encountered 4 unhelpful counsellors and 5 useless GP's one after another so I cant be the only one to have had this experience.. either way its frustrating and disheartening but you have to keep pushing forward, maybe you can change something by sharing your experiences, I think if more people do that it will raise awareness.

JuliusCaesar

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

each of the counsellors and doctors strongly advised that I get CBT treatment, not one of them offered me the treatment themselves nor could they tell me where or who I could contact to receive the treatment, one of the counselors told me she didnt know how to do it and she didnt know much about it... they each just recommended books on CBT and anxiety, its a very basic therapy yet many Irish therapists either arent trained in it or simply refuse to offer the treatment to anyone who's receiving discount counselling or not paying the full fee..

In the first place your counsellors were honest in admitting they weren't trained in CBT - so many others claim that they do it, without having proper training. Far from being the very basic therapy that you say it is, and that it might appear to be, the training is rigorous.

If you look in the Find A Therapist sticky post, you'll find the professional organisations for CBT therapists who may be able to help you find a local CBT therapists. There are CBT therapists working in the HSE mental health services, which are free of charge. If your GP refers you to the local HSE Mental Health Service, you might be able to access CBT there.

Hope this helps.

Airyfairy12

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

In the first place your counsellors were honest in admitting they weren't trained in CBT - so many others claim that they do it, without having proper training. Far from being the very basic therapy that you say it is, and that it might appear to be, the training is rigorous.

If you look in the Find A Therapist sticky post, you'll find the professional organisations for CBT therapists who may be able to help you find a local CBT therapists. There are CBT therapists working in the HSE mental health services, which are free of charge. If your GP refers you to the local HSE Mental Health Service, you might be able to access CBT there.

Hope this helps.

Im sure it is rigorous but shouldnt they be trained in it anyway? Anxiety is such a common disorder I would have thought that counselors would be required learn how to treat it? or atleast be informed enough to direct patients somewhere they can avail of adequate treatment rather than sending them round in circles and keeping them in basic talk therapy? I found some CBT therapists through my own research, no help from GP's or other professionals. I find it concerning that I found more information on where and how to get help from an internet forum than I have done in 6 years speaking to GP's and trained counselors. Ive never been told by a doctor or therapist that I could receive CBT free of charge even after I told them money was an issue and ive lived in 3 different counties in the past 6 years.

JuliusCaesar

If you look at the Irish Council for Psychotherapy's website, you'll see that there are a number of different psychotherapy approaches. Counsellors/therapists tend to be trained in one only as specialised counsellors, or get trained in a few and become "integrated" or "eclectic".

Perhaps you should let your GP know about what you found out. Not everyone knows the difference between the different therapy approaches, or which will suit them, or which has a good success rate.

Chrisc_1234

Good day, my husband suffers greatly from depersonalisation and derealisation. Is there any support groups / contact persons we can get in touch with for help? Any advice will be highly appreciated. Regards, Chrisc

JuliusCaesar

As far as I know, there isn't a specific group in Ireland. But these people in the UK may know of one. Hope this helps.

Dragons

Anyone get any more information?