DEPERSONALIZATION DISORDER

Two kinds of dissociative symptoms are derealization and depersonalization. They sometimes occur during panic attacks.Derealization-one's sense of the reality of the outside world is temporarily los. Depersonalization-one's sense of one's own self and one's own reality is temporarily lost.

In this disorder, people have persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from (and like an outside observer of) their own bodies and mental processes. They may even feel they are, for a time, floating above their physical bodies. which may suddenly feel very different-as if drastically changed or unreal.

During periods of depersonalization, unlike during psychotic states, reality testing remains intact.

The related experience of derealization, in which the external world is perceived as strange and new in various ways, may also occur.

Comorbidity: anxiety and mood disorders as well as avoidant, borderline, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. 

Onset: the disorder had an average age of onset of 23. In nearly 80 percent of cases, disorder has a fairly chronic course.

Prevalence: The lifetime prevalence of depersonalization/derealization disorder is unknown but has been estimated at 1 to 2 percent of the population.

DSM-V-criteria

A. The presence of persistent or recurrent experiences of depersonalization,

derealization, or both: 

1) Depersonalization: Experiences of unreality, detachment, or being an outside observer with respect to one's thoughts, feelings, sensations, body, or actions (e.g.,perceptual alterations, distorted sense of time, unreal or absent self, emotional and/or physical numbing)

2) Derealization: Experiences of unreality or detachment with respect to surroundings (e.g., individuals or objects are experienced as unreal, dreamlike, foggy, lifeless, or visually distorted). B. During the depersonalization or derealization experiences, reality testing remains

intact. 

C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social,occupational, or other important areas of functioning. D. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or another medical condition (e.g., seizures).