Quote:
Originally Posted by Nikki57
So I don't know if I have depersonalization or not, but I thought I'd ask for some of your personal experiences/stories about it. How you figured out you had it and such. I know I could google the symptoms and I have, but I really want to hear some personal stories about it. I know these things can be very hard to talk about so I want to thank anyone who shares!
If you're interested this is how I've been feeling. I feel VERY detached from myself and reality, I have a hard time remembering what is real and what is a dream, I don't recognize myself in the mirror or in pictures, I feel very out of it, can't remember anything, have a hard time focusing. I also have anxiety and depression (possible bipolar) so I know a lot of these symptoms can be contributed to that.
Thank you!
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here is what America is nopw going by for what is depersonalization....
Depersonalization/derealization Disorder 300.6 (F48.1)
A the presence of persistant or recurrent experiences of depersonalization, derealization or both:
1. Depersonalization: Experiences of unreality, detachment or being outside observer with respect to ones thoughts, feelings, sensations, body or actions (e.g perceptual alterations, distorted sense of time, unreal or absent self, emotional 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 other medical condition. (e.g. Seizures)
E. The disturbance is not better explained by another mental disorder such as schizophrenia, panic disorder, major depressive disorder, acute stress disorder, post traumatic stress disorder or other dissociative disorder.
the DSM 5 also goes through the categories of diagnostic features, associated features supporting diagnosis, prevalence, development and course, Risk and Prognosis Factors, Cultural Related Diagnostic issues, Functional consequences of depersonalization/derealization disorder, differential diagnosis, and comorbidity.
the reason I put this here was because you said you dont know whether for you its depersonalization or not.
one thing that jumps out at me in your post in relation to the diagnostic criteria is that you state you dont know if its real or a dream. with depersonalization reality testing remains intact. what that means is people with depersonalization may .....feel....like something is a dream but they know what is real and what is a dream....
example
when I have my depersonalization symptoms sometimes averything around me feels a bit fake/unreal/dream like. but I know that wall over there is real, not a dream, I know I am wide awake, I know the person talking to me is not a dream, they really are standing there talking to me...
when I cant tell reality from dream my treatment providers call it psychosis (losing touch with reality) and medication problems (sometimes my medications cause me to feel dream like and unable to tell reality from a dream, it used to be medication problems like this was called depersonalization but with the new diagnostics problems similar to dissociation caused by medications are now called ...side effects not depersonalization/dissociation which is why my treatment providers call it medication induced psychosis or side effects depending upon other accompanying symptoms)
my suggestion if this continues to bother you contact your treatment providers, they will be able to assess what this problem is with in you.