Learn More About Depersonalization Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria
A. Persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from, and as if one is an outside observer of, one's mental processes or body (e.g., feeling like one is in a dream).
B. During the depersonalization experience, reality testing remains intact.
C. The depersonalization causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. The depersonalization experience does not occur exclusively during the course of another mental disorder, such as Schizophrenia, Panic Disorder,Acute Stress Disorder, or another Dissociative Disorder, and is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., temporal lobe epilepsy).
Depersonalization disorder is when someone feels like they are outside of their body, or in a dream-like state but they are unable to wake from the dream or go back in their bodies. This condition is only considered a true diagnosis of the acts of being outside of their body or in a dream-like state cause them stress, anxiety, or difficulties in life.
The exact cause of personality disorders is unknown. One factor that is highly likely is that a chemical imbalance plays a role, but this is not yet proven. There are some factors that strongly contribute to the likelihood of developing depersonalization disorder aside from chemical imbalances, such as:
Medications can be used to help treat depersonalization disorder, but this largely depends on the reasons behind how the disorder was developed.
Psychotherapy is always recommended as a treatment along side medication.
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