The nervous system creates defense mechanisms in situations that cause sentimental damage. It is part of the human survival instinct. That is why some people, when facing painful experiences, tend to disconnect from their emotions and become a mere observer of the mental process they are going through. Depersonalization or derealization disorder is a psychopathological phenomenon that is difficult to describe for those who suffer from it. It is a cataloged disorder with its own entity, although its appearance usually follows other disorders and pathologies.
The patient subject feels like a stranger inside his own body and faces the depersonalization of the self. It is likely that this is because he denies and represses his emotions and thoughts in order not to delve into his pain and, therefore, he is not correctly processing the experiences he has lived. This disorder is rare and relatively difficult to detect, so if you act as if what you are experiencing is happening to someone else, or you suspect that someone you know is feeling the same way, then pay attention to the signs associated with depersonalization disorder. .
Depersonalization disorder has its own symptom framework. Its main sign is the sensation of disconnection from both the mind and the body itself and of not feeling the protagonist of one’s own actions. This is distinguished from derealization, which is the detachment that occurs towards people or objects in the environment. The duration of this disorder is highly variable and ranges from a few hours to weeks, with which the daily routine of patients may be impaired. A significant nuance of depersonalization is that, like all other dissociative disorders, it is characterized by loss of self-awareness, but unlike other psychiatric illnesses, its patients maintain certainty about reality.
Depersonalization is related to highly emotionally charged experiences and as a symptom of other emotional disorders. As happens to those who suffer from anxiety, it is an emotion that derives from the detection of a threat, and despite the fact that the person may seem calm, this situation produces internal discomfort. Depending on the degree of anxiety that they present, the person will fight or avoid situations at a level of anxiety that they tolerate, or if, on the other hand, the anxiety is intense, their brain will respond by avoiding integrating with reality to protect their feelings.
This type of disorder arises as a result of the experience of a trauma or persistent emotional wounds that the brain is unable to tolerate. But it can also appear linked to other ailments such as migraines, seizures, depression, addictions or any other serious mental illness.
Clinical psychologists help patients with depersonalization disorder, by detecting the situations with which they recall their traumatic experiences, so that they can process and integrate them properly.
