Medication Specifically For Dissociation?

[Casper1018]

I am wanting to focus on decreasing my level of dissociation. It is really impacting my day to day life. I take Klonopin, Abilify, and Lexapro. Has anyone been prescribed something specifically for dissociation that helped? I see my Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner next week and plan on being honest with her about my struggles. Typically, due to trust issues I have with people, I just tell her I am doing "fine." Thanks!

 

[Justmehere]

I have taken Naltrexone which is the only medication that my doctors know of to treat specifically dissociation. It's an off-label use of Naltrexone but it is growing in it's use for dissociation and self injury and a few other things I was able to use it prn. It was easy for me to go on and off of. Naltrexone was initially developed to treat alcoholism. It has it's downsides. People can't drink any alcohol while on it, or they become sick.

I have taken all the same meds you listed, along with a few others, with mixed results. They helped anxiety and depression ok. Naltrexone was the only one that helped me be more present and much less dissociative.

Everyone is different, I hope you find something that works for you.

 

[Lucycat]

As dissociation is a state of mind I had never considered that there might be medication to prevent/control it. I found that after my EMDR my dissociation reduced to almost nil. Nowadays it happens in situations of extreme stress, but I do all that I can to avoid them.

I don't really understand how any medication can stop you from withdrawing into yourself - or spacing out as I prefer to call it- selectively enough to know when and where that might happen without simply sedating you.

 

[paris]

DMAE 2 in morning and L-Tryptophan 1 am . helps w/ focus and concentration.

 

[Casper1018]

@Justmehere, thank you for telling me about Naltrexone! I have spent the past hour researching it and it sounds exactly like what I need! I am anxious to talk to my NP about it and see if she might be open to a trial of it. Thanks again!

 

[Hope4future]

I find naltrexone to be helpful as well.

 

[Julie50]

I'm appreciating this thread too!
@Justmehere when you say prn for dissociation do you mean that you take it's soon as you feel triggered to prevent diss'n or that it will bring you out of dissociation?@Lucycat I'm thinking that it would be something that would be a drug that would manage the anxiety reactions to triggers ....one can try to manage the stress, can try reduce the triggers (CBT/EMDR) but then an optimal med'n or combination can help minimize the reaction to triggers if they happen....
I'm researching for my husband's upcoming second opinion/med review. Currently he's on Pristique (SSRI, SNRI) and Seoquel with prn Ativan....Ativan will help prevent his dissociations if he's taken it some time before being triggered but won't help once he's started. I was wondering about Abilify instead of Seroquel but saw someone post that it agitated them...but not all people respond the same way.
Cheers..thanks for the discussion!

 

[Justmehere]

@Julie50 - I took it every day for awhile. Then I would take it on days I knew I was more likely to be triggered or stressed and thus dissociative. Sometimes I did take it after I started to feel dissociative.

It was most effective when taken daily, least effective when I took it after I feel dissociation come on - but it still significantly helped even then.

It doesn't work for everyone. But it helped me. :)

 

[Julie50]

@Justmehere thx so much!

 

[Hope4future]

I am by no means an expert on how it works, but my understanding is that naltrexone blocks opioid receptors which lessens the sense of numbing that occurs when we do dissociate. It doesn't make it disappear, but it lessens the sense of separation that can happen with dissociation. If someone else can explain it better, please do. It has been effective for me in lessening the intensity and frequency of dissociation, especially during therapy sessions. I started by taking it only on days when I had therapy ( about an hour before the session) but have switched to taking a lower dose daily to help manage dissociation during daily life.

 

[Notsowild]

I've been in a dissociative state for years. Since my latest trauma it had gotten worse. My psychiatrist put me on Clonazepam and I couldn't believe how much better I am. It also helped with the hypervigilance. I know it's one of those addictive meds but I need it right now as I work through this.

@Justmehere... I never heard of Naltrexone. Is there another name for it. Is it less addictive than clonazapam? I'd like to ask my psychiatrist. Thanks

 

[Justmehere]

That's the only name I know for it, it has zero addictive properties. It doesn't really relieve the underlying anxiety, but it did reduce self injury urges for me. (It is prescribed for alcohol abuse, dissociation, self injury, and bulimia - @Hope4Now explained the logic well why they think it helps dissociation.)


Klonopin helped for me too. I used to take Naltrexone with Klonopin. Eventually I didn't need either on a regular basis.