depending on your location, what standards ie terms used in the mental health career in your location depersonalization is explained in many different ways. example people explain it one way where Im from, they explain it another way in this state where Im living with my partner. I have found in the state where she is from they explain it another way. I have also noticed from being here on line people from other countries also explain it in another completely different way. you also have to take into consideration what date the material that someone is telling you what something is. I have found sometimes when I dont understand something sometimes its because someone has used the outdated way of explaining things from what my mental health professionals used, as demonstrated in the thread on dissociative disorders that is stuck on the first page of this board. Someone callled something ADD and it turned out to be what we In the USA in the menal health Career call Dissociative disorders Not Otherwise Specified here and is new updated term for it here.

That said how its explained here - depersonalization can happen with many mental disorders, and it doesn't always have to happen as a "disorder" it can also be a completely normal response to things like stress, medications, doing new things like moving, getting married, having a baby, just about anything can make you have depersonalization like feelings. mountain climbers get it at times, runners, people in all kinds of sports and activities get it sometimes.

have you ever climbed stairs really fast or gone on a mountain hike. then you look back at where you came from. all of a sudden you feel like you are in slow motion, the world around you looks so far away? Thats feeling depersonalization.

have you ever taken some medication and it made you feel all foggy headed, slow and like the world around you doesn't quite feel normal to you? thats depersonalization.

Have you ever been so excited you feel short of breath, feel like you are talking but it seems muffled and you feel like everything has slowed down? thats depersonalization.

Have you ever done something new that you have never done before, and then suddenly it seems like your ears arent hearing right, you feel like everything is so far away from you? thats depersonalization

Have you ever been reading a book and suddenly the words don't seem to make any sense because your head feels like cotton or foggy and slow. Thats depersonalization

Depersonalization is a group of symptoms that are considered within another group called dissociation. when you pick up a book the book is titled one thing (dissociation) but when you open the book there are many different chapters (groups of symptoms) and each chapter of the book has a chapter (depersonalization, and other names)

having depersonalization can be completely normal or it can be abnormal (not normal) which it is depends on why its happening and how often and how it affects each persons life.

my friend Sandy has it in a completely normal way, I have it in a slightly abnormal way because of why it happens, how often it happens and how it affects my life, and Miguel has it to most abnormal because of why it happens, how often it happens and how it affects his life.

Sandy is not in treatment for it because her depersonalization is completely normal. Im in treatment for mine and my treatment plan is taylored to work directly related to why it happens,how often it happens and how it affects my life. Miguel is on another treatment plan that is different than mine because his treatment plan is directly related to why it happens for him, how often it happens for him and how it affects his life.

in other words depersonalization is in every bodys life in different ways, some normal some slightly not normal all the way up to completely abnormal. The treatment for it also changes from person to person.

your friend could have it in a completely normal way or he could be anywhere between normal to abnormal. only your friend can explain why it happens, how often it happens and how it affects his life and whether hes in treatment for it or not and what he needs from you in the way of support and help. Talk to your friend.