What Is Depersonalization Disorder?
Have you ever gotten the sense you were outside yourself? Truly disconnected from your body as if you were floating outside yourself?
For many, recreational drugs like marijuana or LSD can create that state. For others, however, this feeling can be chronic and incredibly disconcerting. For the patient, it can cause distress, impair work, social and personal functioning.
Depersonalization Disorder effects ones emotions and behavior. It’s generally characterized by a change in how one perceives experiences or sense of self. It’s as if all reality ceases to exist; the feeling of being detached or being in a dream, only the person affected by this order realizes he/she is not in a dream but and yet has no ability to control the sensation. Often victims of Depersonalization disorder feel as if they are going insane, though this is rarely the case.
Patients describe their feelings of being unreal and their emotions dull. Actions feels mechanical—sometimes even robotic in nature. Some complain of sensory distortions affecting a single part of the body, which may be described as feeling as if made of cotton wool.
In 2007, Matthew Perry starred in the comedy feature film, “Numb” which deals with this disorder entirely, as his character, a successful screenwriter, who suddenly finds himself without any emotional feelings. Physicians and psychologists do little in alleviating his disorder causing his character even further anxiety.
Depersonalization disorder isn’t as rare as you might think. It’s actually the third most common psychological experience after feelings of anxiety and depression. It often occurs after a person experiences life threatening danger, such as a near-death accident, assault or serious illness or injury. It can also stem from extreme stress during childhood including physical and sexual abuse or neglect.
It isn’t surprising that after the tragedy of 911, many survivors reported symptoms of Depersonalization Disorder. The overwhelming stress leaves the victim with no coping mechanism. For many sufferers, the symptoms may come and go spontaneously and therefore treatment is usually recommended only if the disorder persists, recurs or causes distress to the point where the patient cannot function.
Two thirds of those affected by Depersonalization disorder are women. Symptoms can start as early as adolescence or suddenly crop up in adult life. Usually symptoms occur suddenly, sometimes when the person feels aroused or excited or paradoxically in the course of relaxation after intense physical exercise.
Often times, this disorder can ‘piggyback’ on other mental health issues like depression, anxiety and various panic disorders. Since dissociative disorders seem to be triggered as a response to trauma or abuse, treatment can generally be found through psychotherapy, although drugs like antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications combined with therapy seem to provide the best results. Like treating any disease or disorder, it’s imperative to note that any stresses associated with the beginning of the depersonalization disorder must be addressed for a person to be truly ‘cured’ .
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