Depersonalization Disorder

“I am an outside observer to my own life.”

Third Person Point of View Written in a First Person Perspective

        Out of every lottery ticket and slot machine, the greatest odds are life itself. Once you overcome the 1 to four hundred trillion odds of being born, you are in control of your destiny. However, unknown to many people, there is an impending phenomenon where you begin to lose that control, becoming a spectator of your own life. Depersonalization disorder is an ailment that plagues one's mind, causing them to lose grasp on reality. Those who suffer from Depersonalization claim they feel as if they are viewing reality in a third person point of view and none of their surroundings seem to exist anymore. Depersonalization disorder is extremely rare, only recently gaining its much needed attention. Although its name was coined in 1894, little research on the subject had been conducted until the last few decades. As technology is becoming more prevalent, sensory overloads could prove to make depersonalization disorder a  threat to future generations. Although there are prominent areas of distress that psychologists mainly deal with such as depression, further research must be done in this field to solve the mystery of depersonalization. If scientists choose to sweep this under the rug there could very well be large percentages of entire generations that will suffer from this disorder due to the rapid development of society itself. Human design can only evolve so much during certain periods of time and will not be able to handle the ever growing problems of the world.

^[1]

The Causes and the Effects

Arguably the most frightening factor of dissociation is that it can occur at any time in one's life. Psychiatrists such as Julie Gentile, proclaim that there are many factors that can cause depersonalization to arise^[2]. In the majority of cases, the disorder stems from emotional or physical abuse endured at a young age. Psychiatrists Julie Gentile and Malynda Snyder have written a well detailed article in which they describe their research findings in the field of depersonalization. The authors claim that due to overall lack of analysis, they decided to take on the challenge of discovering the root causes of the disorder. They list other factors such as drug use and extreme anxiety to be other causes. The psychologists also determined that depersonalization is a way for the brain to combat any sort of anxiety or trauma the affected party is dealing with. The brain turns off certain receptor areas in order to decrease anxiety levels, however this inturn prevents the flow of dopamine making the person, in turn, more miserable. The article named “Stress and Trauma: Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder” not only describes the causes of the disorder but also provides real dialogue from their therapy sessions with patients. In some cases the dialogue is somewhat disturbing as the affected attempt to describe their distorted realities:

Psychiatrist: You seem distracted. Tell me what is happening right now.

Patient:I know I am sitting across from you in a chair, but I am not in my body. I am floating in the air. I am watching both of us from above your office plant.

Psychiatrist: What caused that to happen?

Patient: I thought you were going to make me talk about what happened.

Psychiatrist: When we meet, you can decide what we talk about. If I ask you a question and you would prefer not to answer, just let me know. This is your appointment. What can I do to help you right now?

Patient: I don’t want to talk.

Psychiatrist: You are safe here in this room.

        Not only is the patient experiencing a distorted reality, but they are also filled with fear and anxiety from their current state. This disorder causes extreme cases of apprehension to the point that people’s personalities begin to change as well. In many cases, depression is a symptom that comes with dissociative disorders. As of now there is no known cure for depersonalization, however psychiatrists tend to prescribe their patients anxiety medication or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. SSRI’s specialize in allowing dopamine to flow to the brain easier, however the major side effect is that patients become dependent on them, believing they can no longer live life without medication. Withdrawal symptoms from these pills are arguably worse than the depersonalization itself.

You can Run but you Shouldn’t Hide

In the majority of cases, most patients had experienced some sort of trauma as young children. Childhood trauma can lead to long-term changes in the brain through negative effects on areas of the brain such as the limbic system as well as on neurotransmitters. These traumatic experiences can cause dissociation of mind and body.^[3] Psychologists have widely determined that the dissociation is a defense mechanism the brain uses in order to detach oneself from the harsh reality that they endured. For patients who never experienced any forms of trauma it is much more difficult to pinpoint the primary cause for their dissociation. If no drug use is apparent most psychologists will list the cause as chronic anxiety. Although every human deals with anxiety of various degrees, it can become extreme for some to the point that they can no longer be functioning members of society. For many patients who experience depersonalization at a random time in their lives, they will often become extremely frightened and remove themselves from the world by either staying home or cutting off all contacts and relationships. This however, is quite possibly the worst possible course one can take. For those who have overcome depersonalization disorder a vast majority claimed that when the mediation failed to bring them back, living their life as normal caused the symptoms to vanish. Although one might want to distance themselves as far from human contact as possible, going out and socializing with close friends and family is one of the best options to pull oneself back into reality.

No one Else Exists Except for me

One of the more unique anomalies that arises with depersonalization is solipsism. Solipsism is a highly alluring philosophical and spiritual concept in which an individual believes that their thoughts and consciousness are the only true things in existence. Many astronauts who spend long amounts of time in space experience solipsism and it is even accepted by NASA. An individual with solipsism syndrome, similar to depersonalization, has difficulty accepting the reality they live in and determining that their thoughts are the only true part of existence. Those affected believe that the fact they cannot tap into the thoughts of others is proof enough that they are the only true being alive because they cannot gain different perspectives on various situations. Many psychologists and scientists have written full argumentative novels debunking these beliefs. A popular article written by the Duke Physics department, titled “Why Solipsism is Bullshit,” claims solipsists are simple narcissists who are too afraid to grasp the life they have been gifted.^[4] Although the concept itself seems widely baffling, there is no possible way to prove that the reality in which each individual lives is not simply a mental projection that stems from an energy source that the human mind is too naive to conceptualize.

Hell on Earth is Real

As is true with almost all diagnoses, the effects of depersonalization can differ between those afflicted. For some it is simply the feeling of detachment from the outside world. These individuals are able to function and socialize normally however there is always that nagging feeling in the back of their minds that something is off with their perspective. In severe cases, depersonalization can coincide with schizophrenia. Those who suffer with the disorder to this extent not only have depersonalization, they also have depression, anxiety, and begin to hallucinate at points leading to a truly warped reality where it is no longer possible to distinguish reality. In these instances, help is almost no longer a solution however, in the less serious cases many patients eventually snap out of it. For some, the effects could last up to a month while for others it could stick for years before wearing off.^[5]Depression often sets in for those who have it for longer periods of time because they begin to loathe the ever frightening sensation of a third person point of view in their own lives. Not only are prescriptions such as Zoloft and Celexa prescribed to curb the sensations, psychotherapy is also a highly recommended aide. During these sessions therapists aim to dig deep into the root of the patient’s problems rather than simply listening to them vent.5 Once the patient can determine what caused the depersonalization, they often begin to feel as if they will not be stuck in this state forever because they can remind themselves that there once was a time where everything was normal.

You Only Live Once

        During the month of may which is considered “Mental Health Awareness Month” the most common problems such as depression and anxiety are deliberated heavily by the media and corporations. While these topics should still be widely discussed, the population should additionally be educated on the subject of dissociative disorders. As more people are coming forward with their dissociation from the world, it is only fair to them that further research and attention should be carried out regarding this phenomenon. The next generations are the future and it is imperative that their mental health should be protected at all costs. With bitter news stories coming out each day and copious amounts of social media consumption, the young minds are extremely susceptible and vulnerable to mental corrosion. There is no viable proof of what life after death looks like, therefore it is invaluable that each human is able to live the life they were gifted and fulfill their individual purposes.

Works Cited

1. Gentile, Julie P, Malynda Snyder, and Paulette Marie Gillig. "STRESS AND TRAUMA:       Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder." Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience. Matrix Medical Communications, July 2014. Web. 09 June 2021.

2. "Why Solipsism Is Bullshit." Why Solipsism Is Bullshit. Duke Physics Department, 10 Jan. 2010. Web. 10 June 2021.

3. Sierra, Mauricio, & Berrios, German E. (2000). The Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale: A new instrument for the measurement of depersonalisation. Psychiatry Research, 93(2), 153-164.

4. Sierra, Mauricio, Baker, Dawn, Medford, Nicholas, & David, Anthony S. (2005). Unpacking the depersonalization syndrome: An exploratory factor analysis on the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale. Psychological Medicine, 35(10), 1523-1532.