Depersonalization disorder

Currently, there are significant contradictions in the study of self-awareness disorders. The depersonalization disorder also applies to them. Also, such questions of depersonalization as the boundaries of the concept and its definition are not universally recognized. Lack of sufficient information on such issues adversely affects many practical aspects, as a result, complicates the diagnostic approach to psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and treatment of patients with depersonalization.

Description and causes of

Depersonalization disorder is understood as a constant or recurring sensation of detachment from one's body or mental functions. As a result, a person usually feels like a detached observer of his own life. Often, this disorder can be caused by severe stress. Treatment can be treated with psychotherapy.

Depersonalization disorder is a fairly common phenomenon, often manifested in life-threatening situations. Violence, accidents, beatings, accidents, accidents, imprisonment, torture, serious injuries, illnesses and many other causes can cause this disorder. The drugs and other psychotropic substances can also provoke or intensify the depersonalization disorder.

Also depersonalization can be a symptom of a large number of mental disorders and some paroxysmal conditions. However, if depersonalization is not associated with other physical and mental diseases and is permanent or occurs intermittently, it is definitely a depersonalization disorder. This disorder occurs in about 2% of the world's population.

Symptoms of

Because of the depersonalization disorder, the patient is disturbed by the natural perception of one's own life, personality and body, resulting in a general psychological discomfort. Quite often, the symptoms are changeable and simultaneously develop with fear, panic, anxiety and other phobias. As a rule, the symptoms of this disorder are observed for a fairly long time or for many years they recur. For a patient with a depersonalization disorder, describing their experiences is a very difficult task.

Depersonalization disorder can have minor manifestations and soon pass without leaving consequences for a person's psychological state. Most people were able to adapt to this state and even learned to prevent his psychic influence on his life. Others are constantly worried about the state of their mind, are worried that they are going crazy, are constantly worried because of what they perceive in a distorted way the world around them and because of their sense of detachment from their personality. Emotional feelings prevent them from concentrating on work and in everyday life, which greatly complicates such people's lives.

Diagnosis of

disorder Before diagnosing a depersonalization disorder, it is necessary to carefully examine the patient for a primary disorder, for example, schizophrenia, organic syndrome, obsessive disorder, depressive disorder, dissociative or conversion disorder, phobic and genitalized anxiety disorders. Schizoid personality disorder also causes persistent and severe depersonalization symptoms. A large number of patients who suffer from depersonalization have one of these disorders. Primary syndrome is extremely rare.

The diagnosis is based on the symptoms of depersonalization disorder, which are manifested in the patient. The specialist examines the patient to exclude possible physical illnesses, drug addiction and other mental illnesses. Various tests and special questionnaires help diagnose this disorder. Only after an external examination and a psychological survey can you diagnose a depersonalization disorder.

Treatment of

Quite often the feeling of depersonalization is short-lived and passes by itself. Even in the presence of constant or periodic depersonalization in most patients, this does not cause serious problems, since they focus on completely different thoughts, concentrate on something else, thereby successfully suppressing the depersonalization disorder.

Most patients with this disorder completely recover, especially when symptoms appear as a result of stress, which can be cured during treatment, and if the symptoms do not have chronic symptoms. Some patients recover without various extraneous interventions. However, in some patients, the disorder of the depersonalization type becomes chronic and refractory to therapy.

In the treatment it is necessary to deeply analyze not only all the stresses that are somehow associated with the onset of such a disorder, but also earlier ones, such as childhood violence or emotional neglect, which can also situate a person's psychological state to various mental disorders, including depersonalization, Already at an older age. A number of patients are remarkably helped by some techniques of psychotherapy, such as: hypnosis, cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy. Cognitive psychotherapeutic techniques allow you to get rid of obsessive thoughts about the unreal existence of the patient. With the help of behavioral techniques, the patient is involved in activities that distract from depersonalization. Thanks to the technique of grounding, the patient can feel himself really existing at the moment.

It is also necessary to deal with the treatment of other mental disorders, which also often enough cause depersonalization or complicate it. Antidepressants and anxiolytics will help some patients, especially those with depression and anxiety, and in fact such factors can significantly exacerbate depersonalization.

Despite significant distortion and changes in the subjective perception of reality by patients with depersonalization disorder, this disorder is not associated with psychosis and it is not considered a psychotic disorder. With this disorder and patients, the ability to sense their illness and to feel the world around them objectively remains, the critical perception of their own experiences and sensations remains, they perfectly realize that they are sick. Such patients distinguish reality from imaginary fantasies, both with a permanent depersonalization state, and with periodic manifestations of this disorder. Patients with depersonolization disorder, unlike patients with psychoses, do not pose any threat to others, as they do not lose touch with reality and the symptoms of the disorder are relatively stable, not prone to development and aggravation.