![]() There are four different types of dissociative disorders identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), and they vary in severity and specificity of symptoms.ĭissociation may include: Depersonalizationįeeling detached from one’s thoughts or body, such as feeling as if they are in a dream or are outside of their body. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, up to 75% of people will experience an episode of dissociation in their lifetime 2% of those people meet the full criteria for chronic episodes. What are dissociative disorders?ĭissociative disorders are characterized by involuntary escapes from reality, including the disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory. ![]() ![]() There are several reasons why someone might experience an altered sense of themselves and their surroundings, and feel out of their body, which will be explored in this article. It is normal for individuals to at one point experience this type of relationship between themselves and the world around them, but if the episodes are persistent and recurrent, it is possible that there may be a more serious underlying psychological cause that needs to be addressed with a licensed therapist. The story above exemplifies some of the common experiences of someone that is experiencing a dissociative disorder known as depersonalization-derealization disorder (DDD). After the second week of school, you decide to seek professional help in order to better understand what is going on. Your grades and your ability to function on a day-to-day basis begin to suffer. You keep going to your classes and trying your best to participate socially with your peers, but the feeling of disconnectedness does not go away. You begin to feel emotionally numb, almost as if you are a robot, or that you are living in a phantom body. You feel disconnected from reality. The world around you looks different and strange, and this begins to frighten you because you know something is wrong. You have a difficult time concentrating in your classes, and you have this sense that you are watching your lived experiences from outside of yourself. Despite your excitement, you also feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety and fear about being on your own for the first time, and whether or not people will actually want to get to know you and be your friend.Īs the first few days of school set in, your feelings of insecurity and uncertainty begin to take hold of you, and you start to feel as though something is not quite right. You have been looking forward to finally starting this new chapter of your life, experiencing a new sense of independence and making new friends. Here's an example of someone who is likely living with depersonalization-dereleaziation disorder: Feeling as though you are experiencing life outside of your body, or that the world around you seems altered or unfamiliar may be a symptom of an underlying mental health issue known as depersonalization-derealization disorder.
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