What is Depersonalization Derealization Disorder?

This video describes depersonalization-derealization disorder. With depersonalization-derealization disorder, we see criteria that has a dissociative property as well as some other criteria. The classification for depersonalization-derealization disorder is in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). We see with the symptom criteria that somebody would have a depersonalization experience or a derealization experience or both. With depersonalization, this would be experiencing detachment, unreality, or feeling like you're an outside observer to your own body, thoughts, actions, and feelings. This would be a distorted sense of self, perceptual distortions, or emotional or physical numbing. Derealization is similar but it's an experience of detachment or unreality related to surroundings. This would be experiencing other people or objects in a dreamlike, foggy, or visually-distorted or unreal way. There are other criteria for this disorder including that reality testing is intact during the experiences. The first thing we might think of we hear about depersonalization and derealization is psychosis, but it's not the same thing as psychosis. An individual with depersonalization and derealization can separate reality from fantasy throughout the entire experience. With psychosis, of course, that would not be the case. Other criteria include there is clinically significant distress and this would be in areas of social occupational or other functioning, and the experiences are not attributable to substances a medical condition or better explained by another mental health disorder like schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for example. The dissociative experiences that we see in depersonalization-derealization disorder can last hours, days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years, so it's highly variable in terms of how long the symptoms can be present. Some common descriptions we hear with this disorder on the depersonalization side would be an out-of-body experience, feeling robotic, lacking control over movement or thought or feeling, and also knowing that feelings should be present but being unable to feel. With derealization some of the common descriptions are looking at the environment and it feels artificial, lifeless, or colorless. Also, visual distortions and auditory distortions are common with derealization, in particular, visual distortions. These experiences of depersonalization and derealization are actually quite common. Most people will experience this type of dissociative event at some point in their life but only about 2% of individuals will meet the full criteria for this disorder. Depersonalization-derealization disorder affects males and females at the same rate and typically has an early onset. We think of this disorder as having an early onset compared to a number of other disorders. The mean age onset is 16 and an onset of depersonalization-derealization disorder after the age of 20 would only occur about 20% of the time, and after age 25 only about 5% at a time. There are a number of mental health disorders that co-occur with depersonalization-derealization disorder. We see major depressive disorder and all of the anxiety disorders are comorbid with depersonalization-derealization disorder. Avoidant personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder are fairly common comorbid mental health disorders with depersonalization-derealization disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is actually not highly comorbid with this disorder.

[thegreathawk]

Has anyone else forgotten what normal consciousness and experience is like?

[kimberlygabaldon]

3:04 Had to pause and comment. After years of therapy, I never had anyone explain this so well, and it fits. I had brief episodes, starting as a small child, but the worst/longest was right after divorce, (age 22), followed by a couple of super tough years, when all hell broke loose. Also accompanied by major depressive disorder, agoraphobia with panic attacks. Traumas at 2 and at 5.

[msully]

Had both from 19 to 24 triggered by anxiety attacks . Slowly very slowly symptoms subsided I wouldn't wish these disorders on my worst enemy.

[philholding]

I did my MSc thesis on Depersonalization and I cannot fault the information in this video

[danloney]

So true, i can only describe the sensation as when your in a dream and you suddenly get that feeling that everything isn't quite right and in that dream I usually I realise I'm dreaming and of course I wake up, but for derealisation you don't get the wake up in reality and just have to work through it. Ive only started experiencing it over the last few months and it's the weirdest thing I've ever experienced. it comes and goes and usually I have a few days or weeks between each episode but the last few weeks ive had it a lot. I'm usually okay at calming myself down when it happens but sometimes I feel on the verge of a panic attack which sucks. I'm sad it's something a lot of people experience but also glad I'm not the only one feeling it, anyone with any experiences of treatment for this I'd love to hear anything that helped

[es]

I pass out every now and then and have a slight form of epilepsy. Before I pass out it feels exactly like what derealization sounds like. I’m 34 and it has happened for years and would always tell people how nothing felt real. Glad I know what it is now

[TravisNorris-ic]

I've been feeling detached from the world and myself for 4 months after a panic attack. I felt I couldn't breathe for a week after that panic attack. Woke up one day and felt disconnected, and it's been a 24/7 feeling for 4 months. Looking up at the sky scares me, thinking of how we exists scares me and worst of all I have no joy and my friends, family, and environments dont seem familiar. I feel like my head is just floating over my body. My reflection scares me and even basic things like talking and walking scare me. Feel like I am hyper aware of being alive and where most people do things on autopilot. I am hyper aware of thinking and also my voice doesnt feel like mine coming out. It is like im so disconnected but also hyper aware. Am i stuck like this forever?

[flormorena]

Can someone be born with derealization, or it always related to trauma?

[xeddtech]

Been experiencing dpdr since 2006 non stop, every second of every day 24/7. It's been a nightmare that has quite literally ruined my life

[cupwalker.]

I have this pretty bad.... It would never do any good to me or my life to ever describe the feeling to anyone .... Wouldn't do any good at all .... They would look at you like you are crazy.... and at work you would probably get sent for a drug test because they think you are crazy ... Pretty sad

[UncobbedCorn]

To share some of my experience with what I believe Is DDD, what triggers it is still what I'm trying to figure out. It usually occurs 5-20 minutes after I wake up, and its like I'll have a thought of a dream or a memory from a dream and this overwhelming feeling runs through my body, a numb feeling, and as I'm going through it I feel as if whatever I'm doing, I've done a million times before. Like my life is being played out and I'm seeing it from another point of view. The rest of the day I usually I have sort of a weird feeling, really sucks and I dont want pills. Maybe that's the only answer

[simplelifedays]

Thank you for this. I've been stressed out for years with some dv, PTSD and alcohol abuse. Sober 2 yrs now. Dv gone 2 yrs as well. I always feel like I'm walking around in a dream. Not really feeling anything. Then there are times that I feel like something terrible is going on and I don't know what it is.
I'm going to seek mental health help and I can go in talking about this
On another note I was diagnosed with reoccurring major depression with manic episodes

[zhir]

It feels like it's my first time in this world, i even forgot how the normal condition feels like Yesterday is like a month ago for me . Idk if this is psychological or there is an issue in my brain
Ps; it gets worse when i have nothing to do or when i'm so stressed

[Ann-lx]

Psychiatric drugs can cause this. Also a common symptom when withdrawing from these neurotoxins, or switching between these brain-poisons.

[wakabarz]

Why is everything vivid and enhanced like my vision is bright and colors look too contrasted but my eyes are not dilated and they look glossy, I got tremors in my thumbs and get muscle jerks and paresthesia in my head. Idk what is happening and my memory is so shot off I can’t remember old tv shows unless I watch them. I feel nauseous all the time and I eat a lot more like my stomach had a empty space.

[greys]

Have any of you felt as if even you're learning, music, movies don't feel real at all?

[sandragrace]

Dr. Grande, Many armchair true crime people have been following the Chris Watts case. He is so detached when he talks, contradictory, and leaving us no way to understand how such rage rose within him.

Can you help us understand his way of expressing himself? To me, it sounds like guilt and shame, so he hides details, sparing us the gruesomeness.

Is he disassociating?

Thank you.

[rob_]

Mine is always terrible when in trying to sleep

[tasiaalex]

Pretty sure I’ve had this since I was the age of two:/

[enejkelecija]

You see what the Mexican government just did with the alien bodies guess Bob lazar was not lying bro