You might look at yourself in the mirror and feel an intense detachment from the person looking back. You could have thoughts like ‘I don’t feel real’ or ‘I feel like I am dreaming when I am awake.’ What is derealisation?ĭerealisation is slightly different, in that you feel detached from reality. You might feel empty, like there is a void inside of you or your mind is no longer connected to your body. It is quite difficult to explain unless you have experienced it for yourself, but it might seem as though your mind and body are operating separately from one another. What is depersonalisation?ĭepersonalisation essentially means that you don’t feel like yourself anymore. Anxiety and depression are also common triggers for these symptoms. Many of our patients experience derealisation or depersonalisation symptoms due to traumatic events, and studies have estimated that about half of people who experience trauma will develop some degree of depersonalisation, derealisation or both. We take a personalised approach, working with you to understand what it is, why it’s happening to you and what you can do to prevent it from being a major cause of distress in your life. We have had the opportunity to help a significant number of people with DP/DR and we’ve seen how distressing it is to experience these symptoms.

Our approach to treating depersonalisation and derealisationĪt the London Psychiatry Clinic, we are aware that there is no single cause of depersonalisation and derealisation (often referred to as DP & DR). A large number of people get better from the condition as a matter of course, others respond positively to medication and better still to psychotherapeutic intervention. The prognosis for derealisation and depersonalisation is, in fact, hopeful. While these beliefs are entirely understandable, they are not the case. In other cases, patients may be convinced that they’re experiencing psychosis or losing touch with reality completely. Many of our patients report a fear of being perceived as ‘mad’ or ‘losing their marbles’ as they try to convey their sense of disconnection and hazy thinking. What is the prognosis for depersonalisation and derealisation?ĭepersonalisation and derealisation can be deeply unsettling for a number of reasons, but one of the greatest difficulties of these conditions is explaining the experience to others. Despite trying to think logically and rationally you can’t stop feeling unreal, detached or emotionally distant. This condition is characterised by a persistent failure to connect with your environment or your emotions. You might feel dream-like as if you cannot pull your surroundings close enough. Reliable and familiar settings, such as being in your kitchen at home or playing in the garden with your kids suddenly become profoundly and unsettlingly unfamiliar. These are some of the questions you may be asking yourself if you are experiencing derealisation or depersonalisation symptoms.

Depersonalization treatment at home