Depersonalization Disorder
Depersonalization disorder, or DPD is part of a group of conditions commonly referred to by psychologists as dissociative disorders.
These disorders are a form of mental illness involving breakdowns or a disruption in memory, consciousness, and/or perception of identity. When one or more of these functions are disrupted, symptoms typically result involving a distorted perception of the body. The person may feel like he/she is outside their body, as if they were in a dream.
Typical descriptions by those suffering from Depersonalization disorder (DPD) include feeling as though I am: made of cotton wool, a robot, going through the motions, on automatic pilot. Some people have a distorted perception of their body, causing them to feel as if they are invisible. They feel as if they are simply observing rather than participating in their life and actions.
Depersonalization Disorder as a symptom may actually occur in a panic disorder, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder or another dissociative disorder. The patient is not given the diagnosis of DPD if the episodes of depersonalization happen only during panic attacks or following a traumatic event.
It’s important to note the Depersonalization Disorder is a symptom of an anxiety disorder and not simply a stand-alone condition because of the fact that DPD cannot exist without anxiety however anxiety can exist without depersonalization. Past traumas appear to be the leading cause of DPD. After the tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, many rescue personnel reported symptoms a day and a half after the event.
Sleep deprivation as well as depression also seems to trigger or exacerbate the symptoms. Experimental conditions performed in laboratories have produced similar symptoms with volunteers participating in sleep deprivation studies. Other triggers include emotional stressful situations like the death of a loved one or taking an important academic examination.
A more commonplace example of DPD can be found in dentist chair by patients using nitrous oxide, or ‘laughing gas’ as an anesthetic during oral surgery. Many patients report similar symptoms of DPD such as a sense of unreality or a feeling of floating above their bodies during oral surgery.
DPD, like dissociative disorders on the whole, are regarded as the result of severe abuse in childhood. Abuse such as physical, emotional as well as sexual can set the stage for DPD symptoms to occur, either immediately or later in life.
DPD can also fostered by trauma occurring in adult life, like the survivors of 9/11 have outlined. These patients have a significant difficulty in focusing their attention as well as with short-term visual and verbal memory. By the same token, they have an intact sense of reality.
As much as the medical profession understands about the causes of DPD, there is much that is still not understood. Recent advances in brain imaging and other neurological testing has begun to shine some light on the subject, confirming that DPD is a distinct diagnostic entity and that no specific genes have been associated with the disorder.
It is hopefully possible in the future, however, that a genetic factor will be identified since clearly not every patient who suffers either childhood or adult trauma exhibit symptoms of DPD.
Statistics show that almost half of all adults in the U.S. have had at least one brief episode of DPD in their lifetimes, usually resulting from severe stress. Of those people exposed to life-threatening dangers, about a third develop brief periods of symptoms. Women appear to be almost twice as susceptible as men, however it is not known if women are at greater risk for Depersonalization Disorder or if they simply are more likely to seek help for it’s symptoms.
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