December 4, 2011
Depersonalization Disorder or DPD has been relatively obscure
until the last 30 years and is becoming more recognized. One major
reason depersonalization is becoming more commonly looked at as a
possible diagnosis is that it is being discovered that many people with
depersonalization have been misdiagnosed with depression.
Depersonalization is difficult to define and therefore difficult to
diagnose. With the higher awareness of this disorder and its symptoms
more studies are being done to understand DPD and these studies are
finding that depersonalization is the third most common psychological
disorder following depression and anxiety, (studies include depersonalization as a transient, primary, or secondary diagnosis). The movie, Numb, with Matthew Perry was a good example of what someone with DPD may feel.
An individual suffering from Depersonalization Disorder has
difficulty explaining their symptoms and uses a lot of “as if” metaphors
and they will commonly refer to daily activities as just going through
the motions. Even though a person with depersonalization may seem to be
functioning in a normal way to the outside world they would be
experiencing a loss of emotional responses and even bodily sensations
complaining of feeling robotic or like one’s body is melting. Along
with emotional numbing an individual will also have difficulty with
their perception of reality or explain their reality and often complain
of feeling detached from one’s own body, even watching themselves from
above, feeling “soulless”, or like they are living in a dream.
Finding an exact cause for depersonalization is difficult.
Depersonalization can be a transient phenomenon brought on by fatigue,
extreme stress, during or after intoxication, and the use of drugs, most
commonly marijuana and ecstasy. In these situations, the onset is most
likely in individuals who may have a predisposition to a dissociative
disorder. Depersonalization can also be a chronic and primary disorder
or a secondary condition to other psychological disorders
or trauma including but not limited to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
(although depersonalization is not technically a sub-type of PTSD),
major depressives, schizophrenics, or certain types of epileptics.
The
strongest predictors are in people who have suffered abuse in childhood including physical, sexual, and/or emotional and in adults, emotional abuse being the strongest predictor.
Because of the difficulty in understanding the exact cause of
depersonalization and the likelihood of misdiagnosis there is no one
recognized treatment. Depersonalization is likely to resolve itself
without treatment depending on the degree of symptoms and if the
disorder is transient. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the preferred
treatment because it works with emotional response. Cognitive therapy
is most recommended to those who feel their symptoms are greatly
affecting their everyday activities or if depersonalization is the
primary diagnosis. Cognitive therapy can also be helpful to individuals
who suffer from depersonalization as a transient phenomenon or a
secondary diagnosis and are already being professionally treated for
their primary diagnosis. Certain pharmacological treatments seem
promising but no specific drug treatment has been proven successful.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any symptom that affects everyday functioning it is important to seek help from a local professional or talk to your physician.
References
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, Baker D., David A., Medford N., Sierra M., (2005), Understanding and treating depersonalisation disorder, http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/11/2/92.full
Do You Feel Like a Stranger to Yourself? Bezzubova E., MD, PhD., (2011, July), Psychology Today Online, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-search-self/201107/do-you-feel-stranger-yourself.
Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, (2011). http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Depersonalization-disorder.html.
until the last 30 years and is becoming more recognized. One major
reason depersonalization is becoming more commonly looked at as a
possible diagnosis is that it is being discovered that many people with
depersonalization have been misdiagnosed with depression.
Depersonalization is difficult to define and therefore difficult to
diagnose. With the higher awareness of this disorder and its symptoms
more studies are being done to understand DPD and these studies are
finding that depersonalization is the third most common psychological
disorder following depression and anxiety, (studies include depersonalization as a transient, primary, or secondary diagnosis). The movie, Numb, with Matthew Perry was a good example of what someone with DPD may feel.
An individual suffering from Depersonalization Disorder has
difficulty explaining their symptoms and uses a lot of “as if” metaphors
and they will commonly refer to daily activities as just going through
the motions. Even though a person with depersonalization may seem to be
functioning in a normal way to the outside world they would be
experiencing a loss of emotional responses and even bodily sensations
complaining of feeling robotic or like one’s body is melting. Along
with emotional numbing an individual will also have difficulty with
their perception of reality or explain their reality and often complain
of feeling detached from one’s own body, even watching themselves from
above, feeling “soulless”, or like they are living in a dream.
Finding an exact cause for depersonalization is difficult.
Depersonalization can be a transient phenomenon brought on by fatigue,
extreme stress, during or after intoxication, and the use of drugs, most
commonly marijuana and ecstasy. In these situations, the onset is most
likely in individuals who may have a predisposition to a dissociative
disorder. Depersonalization can also be a chronic and primary disorder
or a secondary condition to other psychological disorders
or trauma including but not limited to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
(although depersonalization is not technically a sub-type of PTSD),
major depressives, schizophrenics, or certain types of epileptics.
The
strongest predictors are in people who have suffered abuse in childhood including physical, sexual, and/or emotional and in adults, emotional abuse being the strongest predictor.
Because of the difficulty in understanding the exact cause of
depersonalization and the likelihood of misdiagnosis there is no one
recognized treatment. Depersonalization is likely to resolve itself
without treatment depending on the degree of symptoms and if the
disorder is transient. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the preferred
treatment because it works with emotional response. Cognitive therapy
is most recommended to those who feel their symptoms are greatly
affecting their everyday activities or if depersonalization is the
primary diagnosis. Cognitive therapy can also be helpful to individuals
who suffer from depersonalization as a transient phenomenon or a
secondary diagnosis and are already being professionally treated for
their primary diagnosis. Certain pharmacological treatments seem
promising but no specific drug treatment has been proven successful.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any symptom that affects everyday functioning it is important to seek help from a local professional or talk to your physician.
References
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, Baker D., David A., Medford N., Sierra M., (2005), Understanding and treating depersonalisation disorder, http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/11/2/92.full
Do You Feel Like a Stranger to Yourself? Bezzubova E., MD, PhD., (2011, July), Psychology Today Online, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-search-self/201107/do-you-feel-stranger-yourself.
Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, (2011). http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Depersonalization-disorder.html.
