Do you often find yourself saying “I don’t feel like myself”?
Have you ever felt that you’re not real? Or does the world around you start appearing dreamlike at times?
If yes, you could be suffering from depersonalization derealization disorder!
Note: Such feelings are not unusual if felt occasionally. However, for DDD sufferers, these feelings may last for a long period of time and hamper day-to-day activities.
Are You Suffering From DDD?
People suffering from DDD generally feel two types of symptoms:
- Feelings of depersonalization
- Feelings of derealization
If you have DDD, you may experience symptoms of just one category, or both.
Here’s how depersonalization feels like:
- Feeling as if you’re looking at yourself from outside of your body
- Feeling as if you have no real self and you’re detached from your own personality
- Feeling numb in your body or mind, as if none of your senses are working
- Feeling as if you’re unable to control what you say or do
- Feeling like your body parts aren’t the right size or shape
- Experiencing difficulty associating emotions with your memories
Symptoms of derealization include:
- Finding it hard at times to recognize your surroundings or feeling as if everything around you is hazy
- Feeling like you’re separated from the world, as if there’s a glass wall between you and everything around you
- Finding your surroundings to be too big, too far, too close, too small, or blurry
- Having a distorted sense of time – you may feel as if some recent events happened a long time ago and some past ones may feel too recent
How to Deal with DDD?
If you’re experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms, know that you’re not alone, and you aren’t “going crazy”.
About 50% of the adults in the United States experience depersonalization or derealization at least once at some point in their lives.
The most effective method of treating DDD is psychodynamic therapy. Your psychologist may also recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Either way, you can work with and manage your DDD. It’s never too late to begin!