The number one cause of Depersonalization and Derealization is Cannabis, either as weed, or as an edible, or as hash or THC oil, or spacecake.
In about 75 percent of the clients I treat for DP/DR the cause is in cannabis. Sometimes in combination with other recreational drugs which can also cause DP/DR on their own: XTC, ketamine, LSD, Ayahuasca or DMT, 2CB, and other hallucinogens. Although sometimes combined with alcohol, alcohol on its own does not cause depersonalization or derealization.
Cannabis: weed, hash and space cake. Normal soft drugs right? We live in modern society where weed is legal in several European countries like The Netherlands, and in several of the states of the US. If weed is legal, it should be safe, right?
Well, bad trips from weed do exist.
People getting into psychosis from weed has been reported, but less reported is getting depersonalization and derealization from weed. As far as I can tell, getting DP/DR is FAR more common.
Other causes of depersonalization
How is it possible to get Derealization from weed?
We can speculate about the high THC content, but we just don't really know. A bad trip causes a very scary experience, and you cannot control the experience, you cannot turn it off. I consider this to be a
Control-loss-trauma.
The effect of the bad trip, the derealization, the panic and fear don't usually last very long, sometimes 4-6 hours. Some people get stuck in that strange state we call DP/DR after the panic and fear disappear. Quite a few people get very scared of the DP/DR feeling and have residual fears, and sometime end up getting depressed from feeling powerless to do anything about the DP/DR.
Do you want to cure your DP/DR?
Call Ben Meijer now for an appointment.
You haven’t landed weeks after a bad trip?
If you feel you are still in a bad trip 30 days after, or 3 months after a bad trip, you have Depersonalization and Derealization disorder.
Do you still feel
Spaced out?
Not landed?
Not back?
Strange?
Not out of it?
Unreal?
Like you haven't woken up?
The chances that this DP/DR is going away by itself are slim. I advise you to seek therapy to cure your DP/DR.
Do you want to cure your depersonalization issues?
Call Ben Meijer now for an appointment.
“I cannot get out of my bad trip”
Most people complain: I cannot get out of my bad trip. I still feel spaced out, brain fog, not back yet. I got stuck in the trip. It remains vague, unreal. I feel strange. When people then start to google, they reach the conclusion that they have Depersonalization or more likely Derealization.
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) -
Some people have a number of the visual symptoms persist after having used hallucinogens.We are talking about flash backs, Hallucinogen Persisting Perception disorder, and visuals. Flashbacks means re-experiencing (flash back) to previous drug experience, with images and emotional experience. This is usually a short experience.
HPPD definition:
1. Suffering from recurring hallucinations you had during your bad trip, even though you are NOW not under the influence.
2. These do not arise from another disorder like panic disorder or another anxiety disorder.
Perception disorders. These can be one of the senses: visual, auditory, balance, feelings, time perception.
Visual Perception Disorders are also called visuals. Floaters, streaks, floating blobs, white or black dots, after images, moving or shaking images, wavy images, tails or blurring images, rings around objects, also called halo-effect (light) or aura, visual snow syndrome. Seeing white noise, dots or as if you see white noise on a TV, changes in size, small/large toggling.
Auditory perception issues: tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hyperacusis (hearing things too strongly)
Balance: Vertigo
Sensory perception issues: feeling like you have the flu, nausea, tingling, numbness, and anhedonia (emotional flatlining)
Feelings in the head: feels full, feels empty, cotton balls in head, brain fog, bubbling feeling, brain shrinking feeling, etc.
Time perception issues: time moves to fast, time moves too slow.
HPPD can occur with and without DP/DR. HPPD is non-psychotic, people are clear headed and wide awake, people are clearly not tripping now. Of course you can become quite fearful of the HPPD and some people do develop a panic disorder because of it. Also, people's HPPD can increase the depersonalization and derealization.
Often people who get HPPD for the first time get quite fearful of the HPPD. Often people have a hard time accepting the HPPD, and some develop either a panic disorder or an anxiety disorder. HPPD can come together with other perception disorders, but it does not always.
People can have several perception disorders after using recreational drugs, but also from emotional stress, sleep deprevation, benzodiazepine withdrawal.
Do you want a therapy that works to treat theses issues?
The first thing I do, is treat all stress, anxiety, panic and fears.
Call Ben Meijer now for an appointment.
