Derealization

Derealization is an alteration in the perception of the external world, causing those with the condition to perceive it as unreal, distant, distorted or in other words falsified. Other symptoms include feeling as if one's environment is lacking in spontaneity, emotional coloring, and depth.[1] Described as "Experiences of unreality or detachment with respect to surroundings (e.g., individuals or objects are experienced as unreal, dreamlike, foggy, lifeless or visually distorted") in the DSM-5, it is a dissociative symptom that may appear in moments of severe stress. [2][3]

Derealization is a subjective experience pertaining to a person's perception of the outside world, while depersonalization is a related symptom characterized by dissociation towards one's own body and mental processes. The two are commonly experienced in conjunction with one another, but are also known to occur independently.[4]

Chronic derealization is fairly rare, and may be caused by occipital–temporal dysfunction.[5] Experiencing derealization for long periods of time or having recurring episodes can be indicative of many psychological disorders, and can cause significant distress. However, temporary derealization symptoms are commonly experienced by the general population a few times throughout their lives, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 26–74% and a prevalence of 31–66% at the time of a traumatic event.[6]

Derealization is linked to childhood trauma, with the severity of derealization correlating directly with the reported severity of childhood maltreatment experienced by individuals.[7]

  1. ^ American Psychiatric Association (2004). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision). American Psychiatric Association. ISBN 0-89042-024-6.
  2. ^ "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders | Psychiatry Online". DSM Library. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  3. ^ "Depersonalization-derealization disorder - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  4. ^ "Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder - Psychiatric Disorders". MSD Manual Professional Edition. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
  5. ^ Sierra M, Lopera F, Lambert MV, Phillips ML, David AS (2002). "Separating depersonalisation and derealisation: the relevance of the "lesion method"". J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry. 72 (4): 530–2. doi:10.1136/jnnp.72.4.530. PMC 1737835. PMID 11909918.
  6. ^ Hunter EC, Sierra M, David AS (2004). "The epidemiology of depersonalization and derealisation". Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 39 (1): 9–18. doi:10.1007/s00127-004-0701-4. PMID 15022041. S2CID 31285190.
  7. ^ Daniels, Judith K.; Timmerman, Marieke E.; Spitzer, Carsten; Lampe, Astrid (2024-12-31). "Differential constellations of dissociative symptoms and their association with childhood trauma – a latent profile analysis". European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 15 (1). doi:10.1080/20008066.2024.2348345. ISSN 2000-8066.