Depersonalization-derealization: Scary And Too Caring

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

I have had an interest in depersonalization-derealization syndrome for a long time. It all started with an understandable question for any practitioner, why is a syndrome that violates the sense of reality related to neuroses? (at the time of my training we were taught this way). Studying this topic, and then practicing, I found answers to some of my questions, and in this article I will share my knowledge and experience with you.

So, first of all, you need to understand that depersonalization-derealization (Dp-dr) is a syndrome, that is, a set of signs of a disorder, which can be caused by completely different factors. Indeed, this syndrome happens by itself, as part of other disorders, most often anxious and depressive, it happens in psychosis and epilepsy, as well as due to the use of narcotic substances, as well as a reaction to trauma.

What does a person with DP-dr feel, how to understand that you or your loved ones have this syndrome?

First, depersonalization is a feeling of detachment from one's own body, mind, feelings and / or sensations. People with this disorder feel like bystanders in their own lives. Many also argue that they feel a certain unreality of their existence or feel like a robot or an automaton (i.e., they do not control what they do or say). They may feel emotionally and physically numb or feel detached with only a hint of emotion. Some are unable to recognize or describe their emotions (alexithymia). They often feel detached from their own memory, and their memories are fuzzy.

Secondly, derealization is a feeling of detachment from their environment (for example, from people, objects, from everything in general), which is unreal. People can feel as if in a dream or in a fog, or as if a glass wall or curtain separates them from the surrounding reality. The world seems lifeless, colorless, or artificial. Subjective distortion of the world is widespread. For example, objects may appear blurry or unusually clear, appear flat, or smaller / larger than they actually are. Sounds may seem louder or quieter than they actually are; time may seem to pass too slow or too fast.

Thirdly, a person should have an understanding that these experiences are the fruit of his psyche, they are not imposed on him from the outside (if there is a feeling of compulsion, this indicates schizophrenia.

It is worth noting that this is a fairly common syndrome, it occurs in 2% of the world's population (!) And 50% of people experience episodic depersonalization.

Why is it so common? This syndrome, like many other mental symptoms and syndromes, is a product of our psyche, a failed psychological defense, that is, an attempt by the psyche to cope with anxiety or other difficult emotions.

This protection is called dissociation, a person seems to be removed from his experiences and affects. For example, in situations of stress, for example, during a war, the human psyche simply needs to distance itself, “turn off” emotions, so as not to go crazy. This is a variant of “healthy”, non-pathological derealization.

The problem comes when dissociation becomes the main defense, and a person reacts to any emotion, any anxiety by withdrawing from himself or the world. This happens because the psyche tends to choose the most effective and powerful remedy.

Who is predisposed to this syndrome? People with other disorders, most often anxiety and depression, as well as those who have experienced psychological trauma (although this is not always the case, it also happens that a person without psychotrauma has this symptom). Very often these are people who seek to turn off emotions, fear them and avoid them, those who grew up in families where there were difficulties with understanding and expressing feelings, as well as children of anxious parents. Do not forget that sometimes this syndrome can be associated with epilepsy and psychosis. Now about the diagnosis and treatment.

If you suspect you have depersonalization or derealization, and feel that it interferes with your life and you want to get rid of it, then you need to contact a psychiatrist to understand the cause and know about the presence or absence of other disorders. After that, contact a psychotherapist, since the treatment of this syndrome is primarily psychotherapeutic, at the moment there is no cure for it. Psychotherapy will teach you how to cope with it, will help in experiencing feelings and emotions, which will significantly reduce the frequency and severity of dp-dr, and you will be able to live without dissociation.