What is the Difference Between Depersonalization-Derealization and Dissociation

Mental disorders are characterized by significant cognition, emotional, and behavioral problems in individuals. Depersonalization-derealization and dissociation are two different types of mental disorders.

The difference between depersonalization-derealization and dissociation is their aetiologies and symptoms. Depersonalization-derealization involves a persistent feeling of being detached from one’s body or mental processes and a feeling of being detached from one’s surroundings while dissociation involves a disconnection from the thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Depersonalization-Derealization 
3. What is Dissociation
4. Similarities Between Depersonalization-Derealization and Dissociation
5. Depersonalization-Derealization vs Dissociation in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Depersonalization-Derealization vs Dissociation
7. FAQ – Depersonalization-Derealization and Dissociation

What is Depersonalization-Derealization?

Depersonalization-derealization is a mental disorder where a person has feelings of detachment from self or the surroundings that occur periodically or continuously. It is triggered by severe stress, particularly emotional abuse or neglect during childhood, or other major stresses like experiencing or witnessing physical abuse. The symptoms of this condition may include feeling detached from one’s body, mind, feelings, or sensations and feeling detached from the surroundings, such as people, objects, or everything that normally seems unreal.

Depersonalization-derealization can be diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation, MRI, CT scan, electroencephalogram (EEG), and psychological testing. Furthermore, treatment for depersonalization-derealization may include psychotherapy and giving antianxiety medications and antidepressants.

What is Dissociation?

Dissociation is a mental disorder where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity. The symptoms of this condition may include feeling disconnected from oneself, problems with handling intense emotions, sudden and unexpected mood shifts, depression or anxiety, feeling as though the world is distorted or not real, memory problems that aren’t linked to physical injury or other medical conditions, other cognitive problems, significant memory lapses, feeling compelled to behave in a certain way and confusion in identity.  This condition is normally caused by chronic trauma in childhood such as repeated physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse or neglect.

Dissociation disorder can be diagnosed through medical history, physical symptoms evaluation, and psychological evaluation. Furthermore, dissociation disorder can be treated through cognitive therapy and psychoanalysis and giving prescribed antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or antipsychotic medications to help control the mental health symptoms.

Similarities Between Depersonalization-Derealization and Dissociation

1. Depersonalization-derealization and dissociation are two different types of mental disorders.
2. Both may have similar symptoms, such as feeling as though the world is distorted or not real, etc.
3. Both can be diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation and psychological evaluation.
4. They can be treated through therapies and specific medications.

Difference Between Depersonalization-Derealization and Dissociation

Definition

1. Depersonalization-derealization is a mental disorder where a person has feelings of detachment from self or the surroundings that occur periodically or continuously.
2. Dissociation is a mental disorder where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity.

Causes

1. Depersonalization-derealization is triggered by severe stress, particularly emotional abuse or neglect during childhood, or other major stresses like experiencing or witnessing physical abuse).
2. Dissociation is triggered by chronic trauma in childhood such as repeated physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse or neglect.

Symptoms

1. Symptoms of depersonalization-derealization is feeling detached from one’s body, mind, feelings, or sensations and feeling detached from the surroundings such as people, objects, or everything which seem unreal normally.
2. Symptoms of dissociation include feeling disconnected from oneself, problems with handling intense emotions, sudden and unexpected mood shifts, depression or anxiety, feeling as though the world is distorted or not real, memory problems that aren’t linked to physical injury or other medical conditions, other cognitive problems, significant memory lapses, feeling compelled to behave in a certain way and confusion in identity.

Diagnosis

1. Depersonalization-derealization is diagnosed by physical symptoms evaluation, MRI, CT scan, electroencephalogram (EEG), and psychological testing.
2. Dissociation is diagnosed by medical history, physical symptoms evaluation, and psychological evaluation.

Treatment

1. Treatments for depersonalization-derealization include psychotherapy, antianxiety medications, and antidepressants.
2. Treatments for dissociation include cognitive therapy and psychoanalysis, prescribed antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or antipsychotic medications to help control mental health symptoms.

The infographic below presents the differences between depersonalization-derealization and dissociation in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Depersonalization-Derealization vs Dissociation

Depersonalization-derealization and dissociation are two different types of mental disorders. Depersonalization-derealization is a mental disorder involving a persistent feeling of being detached from one’s body or mental processes and a feeling of being detached from one’s surroundings. Dissociation is a mental disorder that involves a disconnection from thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity. Thus, this summarizes the difference between depersonalization-derealization and dissociation.

FAQ: Depersonalization-Derealization and Dissociation

1. What is an example of depersonalization?

• In depersonalization, people may feel like they’re floating in the air above themselves. Feeling like they’re not in control of what they say or how they move. They sense that their body, legs, or arms appear twisted.

2. How do people know if they have derealization?

• The common symptoms of this condition include feeling that people and their surroundings are not real, like they’re living in a movie or a dream, feeling emotionally disconnected from people they care about and surroundings that appear out of their usual shape, or are blurry or colorless.

3. Do depersonalization and derealization occur together?

• Yes. When they occur together, the person experiences both symptoms like feeling detached from one’s body, mind, feelings, or sensations and feeling detached from the surroundings such as people, objects, or everything that normally seems unreal.

4. What are the symptoms of dissociation?

• Feeling disconnected from themselves and the world around them, forgetting certain time periods, events, and personal information, feeling uncertain about who they are, and having multiple distinct identities.

5. Does dissociation go away on its own?

• Experiences of dissociation can last for a short time like hours or days or for much longer like weeks or months. Dissociation may also occur as a way of coping with stressful experiences. Therefore, sometimes it needs psychological therapy and certain medications like antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or antipsychotic medications.

Reference:

1. Spiegel, David. “Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder – Psychiatric Disorders.” MSD Manual Professional Edition, MSD Manuals.
2. “Trauma & Dissociative Disorders.” Multiplied By One Org.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Face Empty Woman Free Photo” (CC0) via Needpix
2. “Woman’s Face – Double Exposure” (CC0) via Pexels

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