A sensation in which the individual feels unreal and not in the living world. It includes feelings of part of the body changing in size or not belonging to the self, or a sense of looking at oneself from the outside. It can be a normal phenomenon, as when associated with extreme fatigue, and appears frequently as a symptom in a variety of psychiatric disorders.
The DSM-IV categorizes depersonalization disorder as a form of dissociative disorder, though depersonalization proper is more often characteristic of the traumatic origin of other conditions.Symptoms
Sufferers of depersonalization feel divorced from both the world and from their own identity and physicality. Oftentimes the person who has experienced depersonalization claims that life "feels like a movie, things seem unreal, or hazy." The person experiencing the disorder may feel like life is a dream or an illusion of sorts.
The feeling is said to be like being a ghost. A sufferer from depersonalization can be especially susceptible to suicide, undertaking the suicidal process calmly and easily without real awareness. Simply put, depersonalization is an alteration in the perception or experience of oneself, so that the self is felt to be unreal;
Another possible way to describe the actual physical manifestation of the feeling is to compare the very popular film technique called a Vertigo shot or Dolly Zoom. People may perceive this feeling in a cyclical manner, where the feeling is experienced back-to-back-to-back in rapid or non-rapid succession.
Connection with psychological trauma
The symptoms associated with depersonalization have a known connection with psychological trauma. The condition (or symptom) is usually found in conjunction with other mental disorders, especially post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, panic disorder, certain neuroses, and may be precipitated by use of marijuana. Though depersonalization is not a delusion if it is reported together with serious delusions, depersonalization may be a sign of schizophrenia — an indication of the disintegration of personality.
People with this disorder often report that the depersonalization is stronger after waking from a nap.
Treatment
Depersonalization is often a symptom of borderline personality disorder, which can be treated in the long term with proper psychotherapy and psychopharmacology.
Vitamins and minerals such as Omega 3 Fish Oil, Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Vitamin B6, have all been reported to lessen and in some rare cases, eradicate the feelings of derealization and depersonalization . All stimulants should be avoided, as they are more likely to create more anxiety, and thus more feelings of derealization and depersonalization.
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