Many people get depersonalization disorder from smoking marijuana.
In this article I want to talk about how marijuana use is related to depersonalization. I want to clarify the relationship between marijuana and depersonalization. There is a lot of confusion about marijuana-induced depersonalization, and whether or not it is different from depersonalization induced by other substances. I also want to show you what you can do to completely eliminate marijuana-induced depersonalization and regain a healthy sense of self.
Does marijuana alone cause depersonalization?
No. Marijuana is one of many possible “triggers” for depersonalization.
A PD trigger is a stressor that interacts with a predisposition to depersonalization. Triggers range from hallucinogenic drugs, marijuana, stressful life events, stressful circumstances, or anything that causes intense psychic pain. Depersonalization can be triggered by a wide variety of things. In addition to these acute triggers, depersonalization can emerge in a gradual process over a period of time. If emotional abuse in childhood is severe enough, people may become depersonalized in early adolescence or earlier.
A marijuana-induced depersonalization panic attack creates fears of going crazy (phrenophobia), fears of losing control, and strange sensations that lead you to feel that the world is not real and that you are separate from yourself. This triggers the acute onset of DPD. It is possible that if the person had not smoked marijuana at all, he would have acquired PD from a different trigger, given his psychological history.
To understand how you acquired PD, you must realize that what apparently caused the disorder (the trigger) is different from these true underlying causes.
A predisposition to develop PD is caused by a disorganized attachment style, growing up in a dysfunctional family system, chronic emotional abuse, neglect, social isolation, witnessing traumatic events, and interpersonal trauma, or any combination of these elements. These risk factors leave people susceptible to dissociate (depersonalize) in the face of later life stress (a trigger).
Not everyone who smokes marijuana depersonalizes, in fact most people don’t. The reason is that they are not predisposed to become depersonalized in the face of high levels of stress. Marijuana simply triggers a problem that would probably occur during some stressful situation anyway.
Is marijuana-induced depersonalization fundamentally different from non-marijuana-induced depersonalization, and should it be treated differently?
No and no. No matter what the trigger is, depersonalization disorder is fundamentally the same disorder and must be approached in a similar way. Everyone has a different and unique depersonalization profile, with different co-occurring and comorbid disorders (such as anxiety disorders, various personality and mood disorders). Some people may experience more symptoms of derealization than depersonalization. But no matter what “taste” of depersonalization you have acquired, it should be treated in the same basic way.
Many people who got PD from smoking marijuana think that because I got high, I can get high. That is simply not the case. You may also believe that you have a “chemical imbalance” that needs to be corrected by taking a series of strange drugs or supplements. Studies have shown that the use of depersonalization medications is not as effective as therapy. There is no “magic pill” cure for depersonalization.
It also doesn’t matter if you got PD from the first joint you smoked, or if you had been smoking for many months before the panic attack occurred.
How should marijuana-induced depersonalization be treated?
If you want to experience a full recovery from depersonalization and return to your old self, you will need to consciously process your past trauma and deal with the psychological abuse you have suffered. There is no way around this. This is an incremental process that involves experiencing the pain that you have repressed and pushed out of your awareness. Processing emotions in small chunks has been said to have “safe emergencies.” In the same way that pain is involved in weight lifting and muscle growth, emotional pain is involved in developing emotional awareness and resilience.
Recovery from depersonalization requires you to reflect on your past pain so that you resolve toward it and integrate those experiences into your personal makeup, rather than suppressing emotions or trying to ignore your pain.
It is very likely that you have never correctly identified the source of your anger, which in many cases is a neglectful and emotionally abusive parent. Once he identifies the sources of his pain, he can direct his anger in the right direction.
The first step in the recovery process is simply coming to terms with the fact that you were abused. Most people who get PD from smoking marijuana are deluded into thinking that marijuana is the cause and the only problem they have ever had. The truth is that depersonalization will stay with you if you don’t acquire an earned secure attachment style and if you don’t process your emotional abuse.
There are many notable signs that someone has experienced emotional abuse, ranging from a global sense of guilt, intense anger that seems to come out of nowhere, low self-esteem, perfectionism, inability to enjoy oneself, depression, anxiety, psychosomatic problems, and a plethora. of other problems.
Two great books on the subject of subtle childhood trauma are toxic parents by Susan Forward and Children of the Self-absorbed by Nina Brown.
Allan Schore, a UCLA neuropsychiatrist and leading researcher in the field of affective neuroscience has discussed how repressed emotions cause psychosomatic problems, one of which is dissociation.
When emotions are consciously processed, higher parts of the brain are activated, such as the orbitomedial prefrontal cortex (OMPFC) and the anterior cingulate. If the pain is not processed consciously, the functional disconnection of the brain will remain and the depersonalization disorder will persist.
Won’t medications speed up the recovery process?
Probably not. In fact, medications are more likely to prolong the disorder, and many medications can even increase the severity of depersonalization and anxiety symptoms.
Medications prolong depersonalization for one main reason: They allow people to numb themselves from their unresolved trauma and emotional abuse.
Instead of processing their emotional pain and resolving it, medications allow people to maintain their unhealthy psychological habits.
Medications can be helpful for emergencies, such as during an extreme panic attack. However, they should only be taken on rare occasions, and definitely not usually. In fact, it is better to never use them. For the treatment of more serious disorders, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, medications are more appropriate.
Medications usually discourage people from getting to the root cause of depersonalization and getting rid of the disorder for good.
If you have depersonalization disorder and are on medication, I suggest you consult with your psychiatrist about coming off. The withdrawal process can be a painful process, so it’s important that you do it correctly.
Is there anything else that someone who has acquired PD from marijuana can do to recover?
Learning to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques can be extremely helpful in overcoming obsessive aspects of the disorder, autorumia, and distorted existential fears. Participating in aerobic exercise (eg, running for at least 30 minutes) and anaerobic exercise (eg, lifting weights three times a week) is also extremely beneficial. It is also helpful to cut out caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, and other stimulants. It is also beneficial to eat mostly whole vegetables, fruits, and lean meats in smaller portions throughout the day.
To conclude, it is incorrect to think of marijuana as the only cause of depersonalization and derealization disorder. It is actually the tip of an iceberg. To recover from depersonalization, you don’t have to “deny what marijuana did,” you have to focus on the true underlying causes and resolve those issues.
