How rare is Depersonalization?
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It depends who you ask, and the severity of symptoms we're talking about.
This site, for instancehttp://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/miscdisorders.html, claims that"Half of all adults may have experienced a brief episode of depersonalization or derealization in their lifetime." But on the other hand I doubt that it's very common as a prolonged disorder.
One point I will say is that, although it's not talked about very often, on many anxiety boards you'll see a lot of people with "just" anxiety who nevertheless have experienced DP - usually in a panic attack.
It's not as uncommon as we think, but it's still pretty uncommon.
This site, for instancehttp://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/miscdisorders.html, claims that"Half of all adults may have experienced a brief episode of depersonalization or derealization in their lifetime." But on the other hand I doubt that it's very common as a prolonged disorder.
One point I will say is that, although it's not talked about very often, on many anxiety boards you'll see a lot of people with "just" anxiety who nevertheless have experienced DP - usually in a panic attack.
It's not as uncommon as we think, but it's still pretty uncommon.
I think a hell of a lot more people experience DP but assume that it is part of depression, anxiety, or a different psychological disturbance. DP isn't popular enough for the average joe to recongnize he is experiencing it, and I believe even alot of professionals choose to see it as a symptom of anxiety.
Last week in therapy, I experienced the benign variety of it, and it's actually quite pleasant. It's like seeing a cardinal fly into a nearby tree and saying to your friend beside you, "Did you see that?" and then craning your neck to see him in all his glory and just kvelling in how beautiful he is.
I think many, many people experience the benign version and enjoy it as just a heightened awareness.
I'm one of those who experienced it only as a facet of panic. I knew it was not in the definition of "panic attack" and that it was something over and above "panic attack," and I discovered the word in my stumbling around on the Internet. Typed it into Google, and you know the rest of the sad story of my appearance here since late May. I think I am here only by habit now. Can't seem to shake it. No DP, no anxiety, and no depression (no drugs, either), but I have a hard time leaving -- oh, yes, I know, why don't I say something that's not so obvious -- :lol:
I think many, many people experience the benign version and enjoy it as just a heightened awareness.
I'm one of those who experienced it only as a facet of panic. I knew it was not in the definition of "panic attack" and that it was something over and above "panic attack," and I discovered the word in my stumbling around on the Internet. Typed it into Google, and you know the rest of the sad story of my appearance here since late May. I think I am here only by habit now. Can't seem to shake it. No DP, no anxiety, and no depression (no drugs, either), but I have a hard time leaving -- oh, yes, I know, why don't I say something that's not so obvious -- :lol:
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This is taken from Dr. Simeon's "Depersonalization Disorder A Contemporary Overview":
The prevalence of depersonalization disorder in the general population is unknown, but it is probably more common than its typical label as a 'rare' disorder that most clinicians have never encountered. One study suggested a 2.4% prevalence, not unlike schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, yet depersonalization disorder is rarely diagnosed. There are likely to be several factors that account for the infrequent diagnosis of depersonalization disorder: (i) limited familiarity on the part of many clinicians regarding the entity and its typical presentation; (ii) reluctance on the part of many patients to disclose their symptoms because of an expectation that they will not be understood, that they may sound crazy or are unable to describe their depersonalization experiences; and (iii) a trend to diagnose depersonalization as just a variant of depression or anxiety, even when the diagnosis of a distinct condition is clearly warranted.
The prevalence of depersonalization disorder in the general population is unknown, but it is probably more common than its typical label as a 'rare' disorder that most clinicians have never encountered. One study suggested a 2.4% prevalence, not unlike schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, yet depersonalization disorder is rarely diagnosed. There are likely to be several factors that account for the infrequent diagnosis of depersonalization disorder: (i) limited familiarity on the part of many clinicians regarding the entity and its typical presentation; (ii) reluctance on the part of many patients to disclose their symptoms because of an expectation that they will not be understood, that they may sound crazy or are unable to describe their depersonalization experiences; and (iii) a trend to diagnose depersonalization as just a variant of depression or anxiety, even when the diagnosis of a distinct condition is clearly warranted.
I think it's very common, two of the girls in my group therapy can totally relate to my description of it, one describes totally believing that she's "already dead, cuz things didn't look real any more." but they just call their experiences "anxiety" not dp. Another neighbour describes episodes of feeling like she's floating, like her feet don't touch the ground, and her soul is hovering somewhere outside her body. she never heard of the word depersonalization either. -ru
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