Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

PsychologyAbnormal Psychology

There are different types of mental disorders, based on the symptoms and problems, they have been given different names. Likewise, depersonalization/derealization disorder is also a mental disorder that affect the patient badly.

What is the Meaning of Depersonalization/derealization Disorder?

Depersonalization/derealization disorder is characterized by a persistent or recurrent sense of being cut off from one's body or mental functions, as if someone else were watching one's life from the outside (depersonalization), as well as a sense of being cut off from one's surroundings (derealization), or both. Together, these problems may cause you to feel cut off from yourself and the outside world.

Symptomatology of Depersonalization/derealization Disorder

Depersonalization/derealization disorder symptoms, as the name implies, can be divided into two groups: depersonalization symptoms and derealization symptoms. Those with DDD may show signs of just one, both, or neither.

The following symptoms characterize depersonalization :

• Feeling like you are outside your body, sometimes as if you are looking down on yourself from above.
• Feeling detached from yourself, as if you have no real self.
• Feeling numb in your mind or body.
• Feeling as though you have no control over what you do or say.
• Feeling as if certain parts of your body are the wrong size.

The following symptoms characterize derealization :

• Having problems in identifying your surroundings, or finding them foggy and even dreamy, as if a glass wall keeps you away from the outside world.
• You can see beyond but are unable to connect, feeling as your surroundings are unreal or appear flat, hazy, too far away, too close, too huge, or too little.
• Having a warped sense of time, recent events may seem like they just happened, while the past may seem like they happened a long time ago.

Diagnosing of Depersonalization/derealization Disorder (DDD)

There is often an air of confusion prevailing when diagnosing disorders like Depersonalization/derealization Disorder. Misdiagnosis is common as the symptoms of Depersonalization/derealization Disorder sometimes overlap with psychotic disorders. Depersonalization and psychotic disorders vary, as they lack insight or judgment. Depersonalization disorder sufferers know that emotions of detachment are untrue, and the people who suffer from psychotic disorders think their emotions are genuine.

Etiology of Depersonalization/derealization disorder

People who have undergone significant stress frequently develop depersonalization/derealization disorder DDD, which is often marked by the following clinical manifestations:

• Having experienced emotional abuse or neglect as a youngster.
• Being abused physically.
• Observing domestic abuse.
• Having a parent who is extremely mentally ill or disabled.
• Having experienced a sudden death of a loved one.

As a result, significant stress, depression, anxiety, or drug usage are common symptoms.

Treatment and Prognosis of Depersonalization/derealization disorder (DDD)

Although there is no permanent cure for depersonalization derealization disease, therapy can lessen painful symptoms and even result in complete remission of the condition.

Treatment for depersonalization disorder often entails adopting one or more therapeutic therapies to address the condition's various manifestations. Although drugs are occasionally used with therapy to treat the disease, individual counseling is the main way of depersonalization treatment. Although derealization is considered a separate element of this disease, but derealization therapy is completely integrated into depersonalization therapies. To treat the symptoms of depersonalization, psychiatrist may give antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs along with the psychotherapy. If people can keep their minds occupied and concentrate on other ideas or activities rather than ponder their sense of self, symptoms, even those that persist or reoccur, may only create minor concerns.

Conclusion

Depersonalization and other dissociative disorders, which are now recognized as trauma-related conditions, have gained a better understanding thanks to developments in the understanding and treatment of trauma-related disorders. Full recovery is achievable for many patients with depersonalization/derealization disorder, especially if the symptoms are brought on by stressors that may be addressed during therapy. In some cases, depersonalization/derealization disorder may spontaneously get resolved.

References

• Matthias Michal, and at al. A case series of 223 patients with depersonalization-derealization syndrome. (URL - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-016-0908-4 )
• Lucas Sedeño, Blas Couto, and at al. How Do You Feel when You Can't Feel Your Body? Interoception, Functional Connectivity and Emotional Processing in Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder. (URL - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0098769 ).
• Juergen Hoyer David Braeuer Stephen Crawcour Elisabeth Klumbies Clemens Kirschbaum. Depersonalization/derealization during acute social stress in social phobia. (URL - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0887618513000042)
• Anika Sierk, Judith K. Daniels, and at al. White matter network alterations in patients with depersonalization/derealization disorder. (URL - https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.170110)