Derealization is a pathological condition that psychotherapists most often encounter in their own practice. This disorder is also called allopsychic depersonalization and is characterized by a disordered perception of the surrounding reality. With derealization, the subject sees reality devoid of color. It seems unreal or distant to them. Such detachment of worldview denies previously familiar objects and known phenomena, interactions with living creatures, spatial relationships and is accompanied by a stable feeling of their modification, unnaturalness and alienness. Sick individuals themselves, at the same time, are not able to comprehend exactly how everything around them has changed. Perception in this disease may relate to either one of the analytical structures, or to several of them at the same time. In the case when the symptoms of derealization are pronounced, the individual may completely lose the sense of reality; he cannot remember and understand whether he really exists. Such subjects are often not even able to imagine their own home decoration.
Causes of pathology
Derealization is a neurotic disorder that affects people without any special mental pathologies who experience excessive mental and physical stress, are in a stressful situation and lack sleep. In addition, derealization can be a symptom of any disease, both somatic and mental.
The main reasons for the occurrence of such a pathological condition include:
- biochemical factors. A decrease in the number of neurotransmitters responsible for the normal functioning of the psycho-emotional sphere, as well as deterioration in the functions of the neural opiate system and a lack of gamma-aminobutyric acid;
- hereditary factors. It has been proven that the tendency to increased anxiety may have genetic background. In addition, within one family, as a rule, there is a single way of responding to stressful situations, also determined genetically;
- personal and psychological factors. This category of reasons includes excessive suspiciousness and impressionability of a person, heightened pedantry and perfectionism, increased demands on oneself and fixation on negative emotions;
- somatic factors. Some organic diseases can lead to the development of similar phenomena. Such pathologies include diseases of the respiratory and cardiac systems, thyroid dysfunction and low blood sugar levels;
- social factors. Psychological trauma received in childhood, an unfavorable environment at home or in a team, as well as various stressful situations can lead to a person feeling symptoms of derealization and depersonalization.
Derealization can be triggered by poor nutrition, non-compliance with rest and sleep schedules, and addictions.
Derealization, as well as depersonalization, are not dangerous pathologies. They will only slightly worsen the quality of life. This is how the human psyche wants to protect itself from potentially stressful situations and traumatic experiences. That is, it is a kind of defense mechanism. But you can and should get rid of this condition, but this requires the help of specialists.
Symptoms
To recognize a disorder, you need to know its symptoms. During derealization, a person is in the following state:
- The feeling that there is a “veil” or “haze” in the head. Visual images are perceived as if in a fog.
- Perception of signals from the surrounding reality with some delay.
- Everything that happens at a given moment is perceived as a movie or a dream, and the person himself feels like an outside observer. Patients often talk about a feeling of unreality of what is happening.
- Inability to obtain a positive emotional response from things and activities that previously brought pleasure.
- Visual and auditory perception is dulled. The colors become faded and the sounds become muffled. Tactile perception may also be impaired and taste buds may be temporarily disabled. Food and drinks seem tasteless.
- The sense of time is distorted. A person may say that all processes have frozen or are moving too quickly.
In severe forms of the disorder, short-term memory loss may occur. After an attack, a person is unable to remember who he talked to today, what he ate, etc.
The most important symptom of derealization and depersonalization is the person's extreme anxiety about the condition. Based on this sign, the psychotherapist can assume the presence of a disorder in the patient.
Symptoms
Derealization syndrome is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Impaired sound and color perception - muffled or distorted sounds, dullness and pallor of colors,
- Disorders of touch and tactile sensitivity,
- Short-term memory loss
- Slow passage of time or its stop,
- Feeling of the presence of strangers
- Detached perception of real events,
- Denial of familiar objects and phenomena,
- Reluctance to interact with people and society in general,
- Depersonalization - a violation of self-perception: looking at yourself from the outside,
- A persistent feeling of one’s own unnaturalness and fantasticness,
- Distance from society
- Disorientation in time and space,
- Lack of emotions
- Excessive self-absorption.
Patients look at the world around them as if through translucent glass or a cloudy film, hear muffled voices, vague and distant sounds. They describe their strange state as if in a dream or some kind of abstraction: they do everything mechanically, see the world around them as if from the inside. Persons with derealization feel uncomfortable and suffer from it. As symptoms increase, they lose their sense of reality: they forget what their own home looks like and when they should eat. Patients may become lost in well-known areas. Spatial distortions occur—the floor disappears from under the patients’ feet, they cannot adequately assess the distance between objects, and the three-dimensionality of the image is lost. In severe cases, the symptoms of derealization are accompanied by visual or auditory hallucinations, which frighten individuals.
Attacks of derealization can last several seconds or minutes, repeat frequently - several times a day or very rarely. When symptoms become pronounced and intense, the condition of patients deteriorates sharply. They begin to fear madness and death.
If derealization occurs against the background of osteochondrosis, panic attacks or other diseases, the symptoms become more varied. Psychoneurological symptoms are accompanied by manifestations of a somatic disorder. With VSD, dizziness, unsteady gait, sweating, tachycardia, “wobbly” legs, noise and ringing in the ears, shortness of breath, dissatisfaction with one’s own appearance, and a large number of negative emotions leading to depression occur.
Individuals with signs of derealization have complete control over their behavior, emotions and feelings. Their consciousness remains clear. This further aggravates the current situation and increases human suffering. Complications of the pathology include problems at work and at home associated with decreased performance, as well as difficulties in communicating with people, depressive psychosis, schizophrenia, drug or alcohol addiction, and mnestic disorders.
Diagnosis of derealization
If you feel as if you are drunk, but have not drunk alcohol for a long time, then this may be a reason to consult a doctor. On the Internet you can find tests to determine realization and depersonalization, but it is important not so much to detect the disorder as to identify its causes. This is extremely important, because such conditions can accompany schizophrenia and other serious mental pathologies. Only an experienced specialist can determine an accurate diagnosis.
Diagnostics will include the following steps:
- studying the medical history, talking with the patient. Among the diagnostic methods, the most important in this situation is a survey, but it is also important to comprehensively study the patient’s medical history. A history of previous mental disorders or severe somatic illnesses, as well as cases of derealization among family members of the patient, will allow a more accurate determination of the cause of this condition;
- visual examination of the patient;
- application of clinical scales developed for psychodiagnostics of derealization and depersonalization. The most famous scale is the Nuller test. At its core, this scale is a list of symptoms of the disorder, differing in the characteristics of their manifestation. If any of them was noticed in the patient, then a mark is placed opposite it. The specialist then counts the number of such symptoms and assesses the severity of the patient;
- use of other methods of psychological research;
- conducting clinical studies, including x-rays and pharmacological tests. All these measures can help identify somatic diseases that can lead to the development of derealization, as well as reduce the likelihood of developing side effects from drug treatment in the future.
The specificity of symptoms, as well as the duration of their observation, deserves special attention. If the attack of derealization was isolated and short-lived, then the cause should be sought in overwork or nervous shock. Otherwise, the disorder may indicate more serious pathological processes in the body.
When do we start to think that life is passing us by?
What needs to happen for us to think about it and really decide to change something in our lives? There must be time. To be precise, we ourselves need to create this time in our lives.
Yes, I know very well from my own experience that it is difficult. “I don’t have time to do anything anyway, now I’ll finish working on the project, and then... Or I’ll go on vacation, and then...” But you really have to create it: change your schedule and take time for yourself.
It's not easy because 24 hours are already taken. For some people, this feeling lasts for months, years and decades.
After a project comes the next project, after a vacation we get back into the race.
But you don’t want to wake up at 70 and realize that life has passed and you still haven’t done what you dreamed of?
Exercise 2: Take your notepad/laptop and answer the questions below. Important - answer “Yes” or “No”.
- Do I like my life?
- Do I like where my life is going?
1. The answers are “Yes” and “Yes.” You don’t miss anything important, you do what you love, you have good health, relationships that you like, and everything is ok in all areas.
Recommendation: write down your global goals for at least 20 years. This will help you move further along your course. Continue to monitor your balance in the areas of your life - it is your superpower!
2. Answers “Yes” and “No”. Currently you are satisfied with your life, but in the future you want some changes. Perhaps what you are doing and how you are living is not leading you to your goals.
Recommendation: Write down your goals for the year 20-10-5-3-1. And answer yourself the question: when should you change something and in what area? Write everything down and make an action plan. Better yet, do something today.
3. Answers “No” and “Yes”. You don’t like this period of time, but you understand why you are doing this in the future. Perhaps this is a job to fulfill your dreams, perhaps something temporary that you have to endure.
Recommendation: set yourself a deadline - how much longer do you allow yourself to live in this rhythm/state. Write it down in the calendar and set intermediate control points so that your period does not drag on and you do not wake up after 30 years of such a life.
4. The answers are “No” and “No”. It's time for you to change something. Perhaps you don't like the situation in one or more areas of your life. For example, you are not doing what you like.
Recommendation: Answer yourself the question: how long has this been going on and what else needs to happen for you to start moving in a different direction? Also ask yourself: do you really want to change anything?
PS How do you feel after answering the questions above? What thoughts did you have? It’s important to be honest with yourself - whether you like it or not, whether you want to do something about it or not. Everything is very simple. If you like it, continue! If you don't like it, do it differently!
Treatment
Since conditions such as derealization and depersonalization are not independent diseases, treatment will be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease. This problem requires an integrated approach, which can be implemented by doctors of various specializations, but psychotherapists and psychiatrists play the leading role in correcting the disorder.
Therapy should be carried out in several directions:
- Medicines are actively used in the treatment of derealization and depersonalization. Recommended medications include tranquilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants. These drugs can reduce the manifestations of anxiety and eliminate depression, against the background of which pathology can develop. In addition, other medications may be recommended. Prescriptions depend on the type of the patient’s underlying disease, his individual characteristics and the severity of the pathology.
- Among psychotherapeutic methods, the most effective are cognitive-behavioral techniques. Good results can be achieved by combining the methods of self-hypnosis, art therapy, music therapy, etc. Auxiliary techniques can improve the patient’s psycho-emotional state.
- Rehabilitation helps to avoid the re-development of derealization. This becomes possible thanks to the normalization of sleep, work and rest patterns, as well as the elimination of stress factors that can provoke a relapse of the disease.
To prevent the need for treatment of derealization from arising at all, you need to pay special attention to strengthening the psyche and nervous system. After all, events leading to the development of stress can happen at any time to any of us. Exercising, walking in the fresh air, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a sleep schedule - all this will help a person cope with negative factors and maintain mental health.
Who can overcome the disorder?
IMMEDIATELY: EVERYONE!
What does a world with derealization look like? Some people (mainly young people) think that this syndrome is an excellent opportunity to gain new sensations, break out of the boredom of everyday life, and change something in their current life. They are even interested in how to induce this state, without thinking about the consequences (for this purpose they take drugs and conduct unsafe experiments on the psyche). Of course, these are stupid and wrong steps that can have very disastrous results.
At the same time, many people who actually suffer from altered consciousness are looking for a way to overcome this pathology, and are ready to give a lot in order to see the world around them in a “normal light” again, get rid of the feeling of panic and depressing depression, and enjoy life again.
How to get rid of the described disorder yourself? Only by recognizing its presence and taking all the above measures. Since derealization is often an accompanying syndrome, it will be necessary, first of all, to combat its root cause. Although often self-therapy leads only to temporary relief and short-term relief from attacks.
“I dealt with the dereal.” “I beat this disorder.” This is what people can say who have turned to a psychotherapist for treatment of an illness and have completed the entire treatment course, which is described in Sean’s book about Connor, this website, Victoria Kurashina’s VKontakte group. Links to all this are here on the site.
It must be remembered that derealization is a serious (and at the same time trifling, nonsense) disorder that requires immediate treatment. But you definitely shouldn’t be discouraged and depressed with such a diagnosis, so as not to aggravate the disease. The situation is not hopeless, so there is good hope for recovery (what is it - everyone recovers if they don’t get hung up on reading forums and let go of this state. Don’t be afraid. And you will learn over time).
