What is DPDR?

  • Dissociation is something most of us will experience at some point in our lives. It can happen for lots of different reasons such as:

    • going through a very stressful time

    • experiencing something traumatic

    • feeling overwhelmed by strong emotions

    • living with anxiety or another mental health condition

    For some people, dissociation becomes more intense or long-lasting. If this happens, it might be part of a dissociative disorder, where symptoms are more frequent, long episodes can occur, or the experience feels constant. There are different types of dissociative disorder and it’s important to remember that you could have the symptoms of dissociation without a dissociative disorder.

  • Depersonalisation and Derealisation are two common types of dissociation (which is an umbrella term).

    • Depersonalisation is when you feel disconnected from yourself — like you're watching yourself from the outside or not fully in your body.

    • Derealisation is when the world around you feels strange, dreamlike, or unreal — like you’re not fully part of it.

    These feelings can happen on their own or at the same time. They often come and go, but for some people they last longer or feel more intense.

  • Lots of people will feel Depersonalisation and/or Derealisation at some point, especially during stressful times — like after a loss or a shock. It’s also a common part of a panic attack and can show up alongside other mental health conditions, or even some physical health issues like migraines or certain types of epilepsy.

    But for some people, these symptoms can become a condition in its own right. This is called having Depersonalisation-Derealisation Disorder (DPDR). You might hear the condition referred to as DPDR, DDD or DPRD.

    • It means the symptoms are:

    • Strong and distressing (or “clinically significant”)

    • Not better explained by something else

    • Interfere with everyday life

    DPDR as a disorder is more common than many people think. It’s estimated to affect around 1-2% of adults. That's about the same number as other better-known conditions like Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or schizophrenia and is roughly the equivalent of around 700,000 - 1.4 million people (based on the UK population).

  • Living with DPDR can be difficult, especially if the symptoms are intense or ongoing. It’s common to feel scared, confused, or alone, especially if you don’t have a name for what you’re experiencing.

    Some people have short episodes that come and go over a few hours, days, or weeks. Others experience longer or more frequent episodes. A small number of people feel symptoms almost constantly, sometimes for months or years at a time.

    You might find yourself:

    • feeling emotionally numb or disconnected from the people around you

    • worrying that you're going mad or losing touch with reality

    • struggling to remember things or concentrate

    • feeling detached from your thoughts, memories, or identity

    • finding everyday activities harder to manage

    These feelings can be frightening and overwhelming. You might feel like no one else understands what you're going through but you’re not alone and support is available.

Learn more

In this video Dr Emma Černis and Dr Elaine Hunter, Clinical Psychologists answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

Depersonalisation

With depersonalisation you might feel ‘cut off’ from yourself and your body,  or like you are living in a dream. You may feel emotionally numb, feel distanced from memories or the things happening around you. It may feel like you are watching yourself live. The experience of depersonalisation can be very difficult to put into words with individuals experiencing it often having to rely on metaphors.  It is often referred to as the “as if” condition. You might say things like ‘I feel like I don’t exist anymore’ or ‘It’s as if I’m  watching my life from behind glass’. Some people describe feeling like their body parts are not their own, or they do not recognise themselves in the mirror.

  • Feeling like a “robot”

  • Feeling that you’re not in control of your speech or movements, and they are happening automatically 

  • Feeling like you are an outside observer or your own mental processes 

  • Emotional or physical numbness 

  • Feelings of being unfamiliar with your body, such as not recognising your face in the mirror, or your hands when you look at them.

Derealisation

If you have derealisation you might feel cut off from the world around you, other people and your surroundings.  You might feel that things around you don’t feel real. They might seem  foggy or lifeless, and objects may appear to be too close or too far away. You may find that familiar surroundings feel surreal or unfamiliar.

  • Feeling as if you are living in a dream or a movie 

  • Feeling as though you are ‘in a bubble’ or the world is ‘behind glass’

  • Feelings of being alienated from or unfamiliar with your surroundings

  • Surroundings may appear distorted, blurry, two-dimensional or dulled. Alternatively, a heightened awareness can make your surroundings feel artificial

  • Distortions in your perception of time

  • Distortions of distance and of the size and shape of objects around you

“THANK YOU for raising awareness and supporting those with the disorder.”

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