Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Depersonalization and Derealization

  • Chapter
Book cover Handbook of Dissociation

Abstract

Depersonalization and derealization consist of altered perceptions about the self and the environment. Both of these phenomena may be symptoms of a wide variety of psychiatric disorders with exceedingly diverse etiologies. Both depersonalization and derealization without depersonalization are listed as dissociative disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSMIV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

How did I know that someday—at college, in Europe, somewhere, anywhere—the bell jar, with its stifling distortions, wouldn’t descend again?

Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar (1971)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Ackner, B. (1954a). Depersonalization: I. Aetiology and phenomenology. Journal of Mental Science, 100, 838–853.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ackner, B. (1954b). Depersonalization: H. Clinical syndromes.Journal of Mental Science, 100, 854–872.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ambrosino, S. V. (1973). Phobic anxiety-depersonalization syndrome. New York State Journal of Medicine, 73, 419–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, ( 3rd ed. ). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1984). The American Psychiatric Association’s psychiatric glossary, (p. 28 ). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (3rd ed., rev, pp. 269 - 277 ). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, ( 4th ed. ). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, E. M., and Putnam, E W (1986). Development, reliability, and validity of a dissociation scale. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 174, 727–735.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bezzubova, E. B. (1991). Clinical characteristics of vital depersonalization in schizophrenia. Zh Nevropatol Psikhiatr, 91 (7), 83–86.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Black, D. W., and Wojeieszek, J. (1991). Depersonalization syndrome induced by fluoxetine. Psychosomatics, 32, 468–469.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blank, H. R. (1954). Depression, hypomania, and depersonalization. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 23, 20–37.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blue, E R. (1979). Use of directive therapy in the treatment of depersonalization neurosis. Psychological Reports, 49, 904–906.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brauer, R., Harrow, M., and Tucker, G. J. (1970). Depersonalization phenomena in psychiatric patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 117, 509–515.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cassano, G. B., Petracca, A., Perugi, G., Toni, C., Tundo, A., and Roth, M. (1989). Derealization and panic attacks: A clinical evaluation on 150 patients with panic disorder/agoraphobia. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 30, 5–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castillo, R. J. (1990). Depersonalization and meditation. Psychiatry, 53, 158–168.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cattel, J. P. (1966). Depersonalization phenomena. In S. Arieti (Ed.), American handbook of psychiatry, (pp. 766–799 ). New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chee, K. T, & Wong, K. E. (1990). Depersonalization syndrome-A report of 9 cases. Singapore Medical Journal, 31, 331–334.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coons, P M. (1992). Dissociative disorder not otherwise specified: A clinical investigation of 50 cases with suggestions for typology and treatment. Dissociation, 4, 187–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coons, P. M., and Milstein, V. (1992). Psychogenic amnesia: A clinical investigation of 25 cases. Dissociation, 4,73–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coons, P. M., Bowman, E. S., and Milstein, V. (1988). Multiple personality disorder: A clinical investigation of 50 cases. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 176, 519–527.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davison, K. (1964). Episodic depersonalization: Observations on 7 patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 110, 505–513.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Devinsky, O., Feldmann, O., Burrowes, K., and Bromfield, E. (1989). Autoscopic phenomena with seizures. Archives of Neurology, 46, 1080–1088.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, J. C. (1963). Depersonalization phenomena in a sample population of college students. British Journal of Psychiatry, 109, 371–375.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dugas, L. (1898). Un cas de depersonalization [A case of depersonalization]. Revue Philosophique, 45, 500–507.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edinger, J. D. (1985). Relaxation and depersonalization. British Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 103.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, G. C., Rosenberg, M., and Wagner, M. (1984). Transient depersonalization in youth. Social Psychology Quarterly, 47, 115–129.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fast, I., and Chethik, M. (1976). Aspects of depersonalization-derealization in the experience of children. International Review of Psychoanalysis, 3, 483–490.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feigenbaum, D. (1937). Depersonalization as a defense mechanism. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 6, 4–11. Fewtrell, W. D. (1984). Relaxation and depersonalization (letter to the editor). British Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleiss, J. L, Gurland, B. L., and Goldberg, K. (1975). Independence of depersonalization-derealization. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 110–111.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goettman, C., Greaves, G. B., and Coons, P M. (1990). Multiple personality and dissociation, 1791–1990; A complete bibliography. Norcross, GA: Ken Burrow & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigsby, J. P. (1986). Depersonalization following minor closed head injury. International Journal of Neuropsychology, 8, 65–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigsby, J. P., and Johnson, C. L. (1989). Depersonalization, vertigo, and Menière’s disease Psychological Reports, 64, 527–534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grinberg, L. (1966). The relationship between obsessive mechanism and a state of self disturbance: Depersonalization. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 46, 177–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guttmann, E., and Maclay, W. S. (1936). Mescalin and depersonalization: Therapeutic experiments. Journal of Neurology and Psychopathology, 41, 193–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, M., and Roth, M. (1962). Temporal lobe epilepsy and the phobic-anxiety-depersonalization syndrome: Part I: A comparative study. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 3, 129–151.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hollander, E., Fairbanks, J., Decaria, C., and Liebowitz, M. R. (1989). Pharmacological dissection of panic and depersonalization (letter to the editor). American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 402.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hollander, E., Liebowitz, M. R., Decaria, C., Fairbanks, J., Fallon, B., and Klein, D. F. (1990). Treatment of depersonalization with serotonin reuptake blockers. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 10, 200–203.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, M. J. (1964). Depersonalization in spacemen and submariners. Military Medicine, 1058–1060.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, R. C. A. (1966). The analysis of episodes of depersonalization in a borderline patient. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 47, 32–41.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, J. R., and Bovasso, G. B. (1992). Toward the clarification of the construct of depersonalization and its association with affective and cognitive symptoms. Journal of Personality Assessment, 59, 352–365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • James, I. P. (1961). The phobic-anxiety-depersonalization syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry, 118, 163–164.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kenna, J. C., and Sedman, G. (1965). Depersonalization in temporal lobe epilepsy and the organic psychoses. British Journal of Psychiatry, 111, 293–299.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, R. B. (1976). Self-induced depersonalization syndrome. American Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 1321–1328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kluft, R. P. (1987). An update on multiple personality disorder. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 38, 363–373.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krizek, G. O. (1989). Derealization without depersonalization. American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 1360–1361.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liebowitz, M. R., McGrath, P. J., and Bush, S. C. (1980). Mania occurring during treatment for depersonalization: A report of two cases. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 41, 33–34.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loewenstein, R. J. (1991). An office mental status examination for complex chronic dissociative symptoms and multiple personality disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 14, 567–604.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lower, R. B. (1972). Affect changes in depersonalization. Psychoanalytic Review, 59, 565–577.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathew, R. J., Wilson, W. H., Humphreys, D., Lowe, J. V., and Weithe, K. E. (1993). Depersonalization after marijuana smoking. Biological Psychiatry, 33, 431–441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer-Gross, W. (1936). On depersonalization. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 15, 103–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKellar, A. (1978). Depersonalization in a 16-year-old boy. Southern Medical Journal, 71, 1580–1581.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meares, R., and Grose, D. (1978). On depersonalization in adolescence: A consideration from the viewpoints of habituation and “identity.” British Journal of Medical Psychology, 51, 335–342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Melges, E. T, Tinklenberg, J. R., Hollister, L. E., and Gillespie, H. K. (1970). Temporal disintegration and depersonalization during marijuana intoxication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 23, 204–210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, J. E. (1961). Depersonalization in adolescence. Psychiatry, 24, 537–560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran, C. (1986). Depersonalization and agoraphobia associated with marijuana use. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 59, 187–196.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Munich, R. L. (1977). Depersonalization in a female adolescent. International Journal of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 6, 187–197.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Musa, M. N., and Wollcott, P. (1982). Depersonalization as a side effect of fluphenazine. Research Communications in Psychology, Psychiatry, and Behavior, 7, 477–480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, D. H., and Grant, G. (1970). A study of depersonalization in students. BritishJournal of Psychiatry, 121, 59–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noyes, R., and Kletti, R. (1977). Depersonalization in response to life-threatening danger. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 18, 375–384.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Noyes, R., Hoenk, P. R., Kupperman, B. A., and Slymen, D. J. (1977). Depersonalization in accident victims

    Google Scholar 

  • and psychiatric patients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 164,401–407.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noyes, R., Kuperman, S., and Olson, S. B. (1987). Desipramine: A possible treatment for depersonalization disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 32, 782–784.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nuller, Y. L. (1982). Depersonalization-symptoms, meaning, therapy. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 66, 451–458.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pies, R. (1991). Depersonalization’s many faces. Psychiatric Times, 8 (4), 27–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plath, S. (1971). The bell jar. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Probst, P., and Jansen, J. (1991). [Depersonalization and deja vu experiences: Prevalences in nonclinical samples]. Zeitschrift fur Klinische Psychologie, Psychopathologie, and Psychotherapie, 39, 357–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, E. W, Guroff, J. J., Silberman, E. K., Barban, L., and Post, R. M. (1986). The clinical phenomenology of multiple personality disorder: A review of 100 recent cases. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 45, 172–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, G. E, & Sedman, G. (1964). Personality and depersonalization under sensory deprivation conditions. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 18, 659–660.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, W W. (1960). Normal and abnormal depersonalization. Journal of Mental Science, 106, 478–493.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, V. H. (1955). The reconstruction of a childhood event in a case of derealization. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 3, 211–221.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld, H. (1947). Analysis of a schizophrenic state with depersonalization. International journal of Psychoanalysis, 28, 130–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth, M. (1959). The phobic anxiety-depersonalization syndrome. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 52, 587–595.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarlin, C. N. (1962). Depersonalization and derealization. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 10, 784–804.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schilder, P. (1939). The treatment of depersonalization. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 15, 258–272.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, J. I., and Moura, R. J. (1983). Severe depersonalization and anxiety associated with Indomethacin. Southern Medical Journal, 76, 679–680.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sedman, G. (1966). Depersonalization in a group of normal subjects. British Journal of Psychiatry, 112, 907–912.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sedman, G., and Kenna, J. C. (1963). Depersonalization and mood changes in schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 109, 669–673.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sedman, G., and Reed, G. E (1963). Depersonalization phenomena in obsessional personalities and in depression. British Journal of Psychiatry, 109, 376–379.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Selinsky, H. (1968). Depersonalization and derealization: Present day concepts. Journal of the Hillside State Hospital, 17, 306–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimizu, M., and Sakamoto, S. (1986). Depersonalization in early adolescence. Japanese Journal of Psychiatry, 40, 603–608.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shorvon, H. J. (1946). The depersonalization syndrome. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 39, 779–785.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shraberg, D. (1977). The phobic anxiety-depersonalization syndrome. Psychiatric Opinion, 14 (6), 35–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Signer, S. P. (1988). Mystical-ecstatic and trance states. British Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 296–297.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simeon, D., and Hollander, E. (1993). Depersonalization disorder. Psychiatric Annals, 23, 382–388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sookman, D., and Solyom, L. (1978). Severe depersonalization treated by behavior therapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 1543–1545.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. B., and Uhde, T. W. (1989). Depersonalization disorder: Effects of caffeine and response to pharmacotherapy. Biological Psychiatry, 26, 315–320.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, M. (1993a). Interviewer’s guide to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, M. (1993b). Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szymanski, H. V. (1981). Prolonged depersonalization after marijuana use. American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 231–233.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Terao, T, Yoshimura, R., Terao, M., and Abe, K. (1992). Depersonalization following nitrazepam withdrawal. Biological Psychiatry, 31, 212–213.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torch, E. M. (1978). Review of the relationship between obsession and depersonalization. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 58, 191–198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torch, E. M. (1987). The psychotherapeutic treatment of depersonalization disorder. Hillside Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 9, 133–143.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trueman, D. (1984). Anxiety and depersonalization and derealization experiences. Psychological Reports, 54, 91–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, G. J., Harrow, M., and Quinlan, D. (1973). Depersonalization, dysphoria, and thought disturbance. American Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 702–706.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, R. N. (1975). Depersonalization: Definition and treatment (letter to the editor). American Journal of Psychiatry, 132, 873.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waltzer, H. (1972). Depersonalization and the use of LSD: A psychoanalytic study. American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 32, 45–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wmeberg, E. N., and Straker, N. (1973). An episode of acute, self-limiting depersonalization following a first session of hypnosis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 98–100.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, USA

    Philip M. Coons

Authors
  1. Philip M. Coons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

    Larry K. Michelson  & William J. Ray  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Coons, P.M. (1996). Depersonalization and Derealization. In: Michelson, L.K., Ray, W.J. (eds) Handbook of Dissociation. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0310-5_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0310-5_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0312-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0310-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation