Depersonalization Phenomena in Psychiatric Patients
Rima Brauer, Martin Harrow, Gary J. Tucker
British Journal of Psychiatry November 1, 1970 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.117.540.509 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Depersonalization, the sense of being a stranger to oneself or unreal, is reported across neurological and psychiatric conditions such as epilepsy, encephalitis, schizophrenia, and manic depression, and also in people without illness, typically after emotional shock or physical exhaustion. The author notes that persistent depersonalization has recently been elevated to a diagnostic entity in itself. |
Abstract
The complaints, ‘I am a stranger to myself; I am unreal’, are manifestations of depersonalization which have been noted frequently by clinicians. Depersonalization has been reported in epilepsy, after drug ingestion, encephalitis, hysteria, manic depression, and schizophrenia, as well as in various neurotic patients. It has also been noted in normals, but usually after emotional shock or physical exhaustion. Most recently, persistent feelings of depersonalization have been elevated to the status of a diagnostic entity in itself.