A health condition in which you feel that you are seeing yourself from outside the body or that things around you are not real or both is called depersonalization-derealization disorder. While this condition can be mild it may cause serious health problems. People with this disorder may feel like they are in a dream.
However, many people have experienced depersonalization or derealization at some point in their lives. It is considered that you have this disorder when previous feelings continue to occur frequently and interact with your function and daily routine (such as school, work, or others). In most cases, people with trauma (including abuse, violence, and other extreme stress types) experience this condition.
Some people may experience a severe form of depersonalization-derealization disorder and experience problems in relationships or at work. It also may negatively affect your daily routine. Commonly, physicians recommend talk therapy (also called psychotherapy) and medications (sometimes).
Symptoms
While short episodes of depersonalization or derealization are quite common, if these bouts last long periods and affect other important areas of your life, you may need treatment. When these bouts occur, you may feel like you are not linked with your body or that your surroundings are not real.
Usually, what a person feels when bouts occur is difficult to explain. Moreover, during bouts, people may become focused on checking if they exist or whether things near them are real.
Depersonalization Symptoms
These include:
- Specific feelings that you are seeing your feelings, body, or thoughts outside the body such as floating in the air above yourself.
- Some people may feel like a robot that cannot be controlled by what it says or how it moves.
- A strange sense in which the body, legs, or arms appear twisted or unusual large or small, or that the head is wrapped in cotton.
- Physical and emotional numbness about your own senses or responses to the things around you.
- A sense that your memories lack emotion and these memories may or not be your own memories.
Derealization Symptoms
For example:
- Certain feelings that people and things around you are not real and that you are living in a movie or dream.
- Emotional disconnection from people you care about
- Unusual, colorless, or blurry appearance of the things that surround you.
- Thoughts about time that are not real
- Fake thoughts about the size and shape of items
The bouts caused by this disorder last differently among people. While some of them experience it for hours or days, others may experience these bouts for weeks or even months.
It is advised to see a doctor immediately if feelings of depersonalization and derealization are disturbing, occur frequently, do not go away, or interact with your daily activities, work, or relationships.
Causes
Healthcare providers do not fully understand why depersonalization-derealization disorder occurs. In any case, some people are more prone to develop this disorder than others possibly due to genetic and environmental factors, high levels of stress and fear, and other factors.
The symptoms of this disorder usually are related to childhood trauma, stressful situations that cause severe emotional stress or trauma.
Risk Factors
The following factors may increase your risk of developing depersonalization-derealization. For example:
- Some personal traits that make you stay away from stressful situations
- Severe trauma either as a child or adult including violence or abuse
- Major stress (including financial, relationship, or work problems)
- Mental health problems (such as anxiety, depression, and others)
- Substance use disorder may cause bouts of this disorder
What Are The Potential Complications of Depersonalization-derealization Disorder?
People with this condition may experience functioning problems and other conditions. For example:
- Difficulty focusing on tasks or remembering things
- Problems with relationships, work, family, friends, and other activities
- Other mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, or you may feel hopeless
Diagnosis
Doctors usually diagnose this condition by performing the following procedures and tests. For example:
- A physical examination – Sometimes, symptoms of this disorder are linked with other physical health problems, medicines, or alcohol.
- Laboratory tests – These tests are done to confirm the condition and rule out other diseases that cause similar symptoms.
- Mental health evaluation – During this procedure, doctors will ask questions about your medical history, symptoms, thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns that may help confirm depersonalization-derealization disorder.
Treatment
The primary treatment for depersonalization-derealization disorder is talk therapy (also called psychotherapy). However, in some cases, physicians may recommend some medications.
Talk Therapy
The goal of this treatment option is to lessen the symptoms and improve your quality of life. Moreover, there are two talk therapy types including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy. This therapy usually helps cope with symptoms and may help you learn the following things. For example:
- Why this disorder happens
- Specific techniques that help to control the symptoms
- Overcome strategies to deal with extreme stress
- Information about other mental health problems you may have. These include depression, anxiety, and others.
While there are no approved medicines for depersonalization-derealization disorders, physicians may recommend some depression and anxiety medicines to reduce the symptoms of this disorder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common triggers of depersonalization-derealization disorder symptoms?
Commonly, people experience bouts due to high levels of fear and stress. Furthermore, the symptoms of this disorder frequently are linked with childhood trauma or other experiences that cause severe emotional trauma or stress.
What are the stages of depersonalization?
According to the Structured Clinical Interview for Depersonalization-derealization Spectrum (SCI-DER), this condition is divided into four stages. For example:
- Derealization
- Somatopsychic depersonalization
- Autopsychic depersonalization
- Affective depersonalization
For more details, discuss it with your healthcare professional.
Can depersonalization-derealization disorder be cured?
Most people with this disorder recover completely usually. However, some people may not respond well to treatment and the condition may become chronic (long-term). Ask your physician if you have additional questions.
