Stuck in someone else's body and abandoned by all: what is depersonalization disorder?

Depersonalization disorder, a perplexing and deeply isolating mental condition, causes those who experience it to feel profoundly detached from reality. This sense of disconnection is often described as being trapped behind glass, stuck in a bubble, or perceiving the world from a distance. For some individuals, even their own body, thoughts, and memories can feel unfamiliar or unreal. Researchers have long been trying to unravel the mysteries of this unusual disorder, writes The Conversation.

Emma Chernis, an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Birmingham, explains that these symptoms often confuse not only the sufferers and their loved ones but also mental health professionals tasked with diagnosing and treating them. Despite the severity of depersonalization disorder, it often remains misunderstood or overlooked within the psychiatric care system.

Many individuals struggle with this disorder for years without receiving a diagnosis. In the UK, it typically takes between eight to 12 years to accurately identify the disorder. During this time, individuals are often misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression, prescribed inappropriate treatments, or denied help altogether.

Chernis emphasizes that this gap in care is largely due to a lack of awareness and training among mental health professionals, who receive little education on dissociative disorders. As a result, patients often find themselves scattered across various services, left without support or silenced by the futility of seeking help. Interestingly, it is believed that the persistence of the disorder is exacerbated by patients' constant focus on their strange sensations.

This heightened attention, fueled by anxiety and stress, creates a vicious cycle where individuals become more attuned to their symptoms, further intensifying their detachment from reality. However, Chernis notes that experiences of depersonalization and derealization are not pathological by nature. In fact, for many people, they are a common and entirely normal response to stress. The issue arises when these sensations become chronic and disrupt daily life, as is the case for those with depersonalization disorder.

Encouragingly, awareness of depersonalization disorder is gradually increasing. Organizations like Unreal, a UK charity focused on combating depersonalization disorder, report a rise in training requests from mental health professionals eager to fill their knowledge gaps. Researchers are also working on creating resources, such as guides for referrals to specialists and tailored talking therapies, to better address this disorder.

As Chernis points out, efforts to understand the physical mechanisms in the brain underlying depersonalization are slowly progressing, shedding more light on this elusive condition. Although the path to widespread recognition and effective treatment is still long, there is hope for individuals suffering from this distressing disorder. For those grappling with profound isolation and feeling "unreal," these changes may pave the way for a brighter future, according to Chernis.

This material is for informational purposes only and does not contain advice that may affect your health. If you are experiencing issues, please consult a specialist.