Making the Diagnosis
Feeling Unreal June 22, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197622445.003.0004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Practical guide or manual Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | The chapter presents a step-by-step approach to diagnosing depersonalization/derealization disorder according to the latest DSM criteria, pairing each of the five criteria with clinical vignettes. It emphasizes that patients may experience depersonalization, derealization, or both, that reality testing must remain intact, and that significant distress or impairment is required, while exclusionary medical and psychiatric conditions must be ruled out. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter describes how to diagnose depersonalization/derealization disorder (DDD) according to the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, criterion by criterion, and provides clinical vignettes relevant to diagnosis. Each of the five DSM diagnostic criteria is presented and discussed. Criterion A1 requires persistent or recurrent episodes of depersonalization, while Criterion A2 requires persistent or recurrent episodes of derealization; patients may fulfill either or both. Criterion B specifies the presence of intact reality testing. Criterion C requires that a patient have significant distress and/or impairment stemming from the symptoms. Criteria D and E relate to exclusionary medical and other psychiatric diagnoses when making a diagnosis of DDD.