What Is Depersonalization?

Depersonalization is the feeling of detachment from yourself, and most of us have felt it at one point or the other in our life -particularly after trauma.

Depersonalization disorder forms a part of a wide group of ‘Dissociative Disorders’. These are illnesses that seriously disrupt a person’s memory, identity, reality, and consciousness.

This has a negative effect on a person’s everyday functioning, social life, and professional relationships.[9]

An emotional numbness can be a natural response of your brain in order to ‘protect’ itself from extreme mental stress. However, prolonged disconnect is often a sign of something much more serious.

Symptoms of Depersonalization

In itself, Depersonalization is not a disease the way depression or anxiety is; with multiple symptoms. In fact, it only has one symptom, and that is the feeling of disconnect.

This detachment can be fro emotional self or physical self[2], and manifests itself in the following ways. [1]

Detachment from Emotional Self (Derealisation)

Feeling robotic, as if you have no will or agency

Sense of observing yourself from the outside, feeling like a third person to your own mind

Getting the sense of loss of autonomy over words and actions

Feeling disconnected from yourself

Looking in the mirror and seeing someone that you don’t recognize

Feeling like you are losing control, or going insane.

Detachment of Physical Self (Desomatisation)

Complete or partial loss of sensation in the body

Feeling of disembodiment

Body dysmorphia, or subjective experience of bodily dissatisfaction

A limb or organ looking larger, or feeling heavier than it should

Decreased sensitivity to physical pain, leading to increased risk of self-harm

Depersonalization: A Reaction or a Personality Type?

Two of the most polarized kinds of disorders are reactions and personality types. Depersonalization has the possession of both of their properties

Depersonalization as a Reaction: The DSM enlists Depersonalization not as a disorder in itself, but as an element of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is often categorized as a reaction to emotional or psychological stress, and is listed as a coping mechanism.[6]

Depersonalization as a Personality type: Case studies show that some people are simply genetically predisposed to depersonalization disorder. Sometimes, this disorder develops on its own, without any known triggers, trauma, drug use or whatsoever.[7]

Depersonalization, Abuse and Trauma:

Depersonalization is often caused by an incident of trauma or abuse so chronic and unbearable that the human mind has to ‘push itself out of awareness’ in order to lessen its impact.

Examples of chronic trauma include:[3]

Psychological abuse

Neglect

Captivity

All of these incidents, whether they occur during childhood or adulthood, create a sense of confusion and disorientation in the victims. Many such victims question their own reality, their perceptions, and often do not acknowledge that they were abused.

It has been argued that children left alone are prone to developing DPD when they are adults, because of their tendency to daydream and fantasize.

Depersonalization May Be A Product of Our Attachment Styles

Some scientists theorize that the way children form attachments with their parents has a huge impact on how they process emotions as adults.[4] DPD has been linked positively with Disorganized Attachment.

The Disorganized Attachment was discovered by an Italian psychologist named Giovanni Liotti and has many features in common DPD.

Just like DPD, people with this form of attachment have memories stored in their brains in a disintegrated manner, because their fight or flight responses are at odds with their memory storage process. People with Disorganized Attachment have often suffered some form of neglect in their childhood; just like DPD. This includes emotional abuse and guilt tripping that may have been subtle and gone unnoticed, leading to a confused state of mind. People who have disorganized attachment styles store old memories in their nervous system without verbally processing them. Verbal memory must be linked with emotional memory in order for DP to go away.

The reason that this happens later life is because, arguably, the ‘attachment style’ gets triggered.

Consequentially, when someone who has had a disorganized attachment style faces some form of stress later in their life, it tends to trigger Depersonalization Disorder.

The stress can be anything including drugs, economic or professional difficulties, dealing with a romantic partner, or simply even processing their own emotions.

Where disorganized attachment leads to dissociation to avoid extreme pain, people with DPD get stuck in that dissociated state of unprocessed traumatic memories -and this is where the difference between the two lies.

The high levels of anxiety that come with numbness can lead to fissuring in the sense of our perspectives and identities.[5]

How Is Depersonalization Disorder Treated?

Talk Therapy

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is usually the treatment of choice for depersonalization disorder.[10] Psychotherapy aims to help people get in touch with their unconscious thoughts, deep-rooted feelings, and blocked out experiences. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an approach based on the Cognitive Bias Theory, which states that we can improve our mental health by changing how we think and behave. For DPD, the focus remains on anxiety and trauma therapy (PTSD) [11]

When Talk-Therapy is Ineffective (As is the case with people with DPD)

Many of the people who suffer from DPD have avoidant personalities, and talk therapy is not the appropriate tactic for them.

Creative Therapy: The most common approaches to this therapy include writing, psychodrama, music therapy, art therapy, or any creative channel of self-expression and personal growth. [12] Mindfulness based Cognitive Therapy: People with DPD respond positively to meditative practices, and cultivation of mindfullness on a regular basis.

Practical Tips to Deal With Dissociation

Watch a TV show you have always loved. Listen to familiar music. Doing something that feels comfortable helps “ground” make the person feel more in touch with reality. Hold hands and exchange hugs. Physical contact with people that you love and trust helps mantain a sense of grounding. A Regular Routine in the form of early morning runs, late night baths, and religious rituals provide something expected and familiar to do every day. This helps achieve a sense of ‘reality’. Keep a Journal: Writing your thoughts, feelings, and memories can make you feel more grounded and in touch with your surroundings. Introspect for 2 minutes: Take a few minutes out of your day to indulge in self-questioning and introspection. Meditating or religious rituals can play a huge role here. Mind the light: For some people, bright lights act as triggers or stress inducers. Try not to overwhelm yourself with stimulus that can be ‘too much’ -avoid neon colors, wear pastel shades and be mindful of the lights in your room.

In Conclusion

In summation, complete recovery is also possible for many people, and with the right treatment, the symptoms go away on their own. However, without it, additional episodes of depersonalization can occur.[8]

Depending on the severity of the symptoms, therapy tactics would defer. However, it is entirely possible to live with your trauma, and deal with your dissociation-related anxiety in a healthy manner.

References

[1] http://depersonalizationrecovery.com/articles/how-do-i-cure-depersonalization-disorder/

[2] http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/11/2/92

[3] http://depersonalizationrecovery.com/articles/how-do-i-cure-depersonalization-disorder/

[4] http://depersonalizationrecovery.com/articles/how-do-i-cure-depersonalization-disorder/

[5] http://depersonalizationrecovery.com/articles/how-do-i-cure-depersonalization-disorder/

[6] https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-search-self/201211/life-depersonalization

[7] https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/understanding-depersonalisation-disorder.htm

[8] https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/depersonalization-disorder-mental-health#1

[9] https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/depersonalization-disorder-mental-health#1

[10] https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/depersonalization-disorder-mental-health#1

[11] https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/reconstructive+psychotherapy

[12] http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Creative-therapies.html

[13] https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-search-self/201211/life-depersonalization

[14] http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Creative-therapies.html#ixzz53S5O3lBC