Depersonalization vs Derealization

The symptoms could be hearing undefined sounds such as a train going by or soft murmurs and feeling like you're synching into a bed while your body feels numb and out of control.

derealization is when you feel cut off from the world. Patients who experience the symptoms of derealization feel as if they're in a dream or as if there is a glass wall or veil that's separating them from their surroundings. The world feels funny and distorted objects around them can feel and appear smaller or larger than they actually are. Surroundings may also be blurry or unusually clear. Sounds can seem louder and more overwhelming and time can feel like it's slowing down or going too fast.

The causes and treatment methods for both depersonalization and derealization are similar. Anxiety and depression are common in patients with these two disorders. They're often developed in people who experience severe stress in their lifetime which includes but is not limited to being emotionally abused or neglected during childhood, physical abuse, witnessing domestic violence, having a severely impaired or mentally ill parent, and having a loved one die unexpectedly. symptoms of this disorder can also be triggered by severe stress from toxic relationships, financial concerns etcetera

To get diagnosed with this disorder, one may get a doctor's evaluation, take questionnaires or tests and undergo specifically structured interviews. Physical examination and urine tests are also done to make sure other mental health disorders such as seizure disorder and substance abuse are ruled out. This disorder is diagnosed when symptoms last for a long time or recur over time. It's important to know that getting brief and temporary episodes of these symptoms doesn't necessarily mean you have these disorders instead you may just be going through a highly stressful situation.

For treatment for depersonalization or derealization, many patients undergo psychotherapy treatment of this disorder must address all stresses associated with an individual's triggers as this may help the patient become self-aware and give them the ability to take careful measures to prevent the next stressful episode in their lives. Cognitive techniques can also be used to help lock obsessive thinking about the unreal state of being and grounding techniques can encourage the individual to use their five senses to feel more connected with themselves in the real world.