Have you ever felt like you were living in  a dream? Or like your surroundings seemed  

artificial? Or objects were distorted in  terms of their distance, size, and shape?

If so, you may have been experiencing  an episode of derealization.

Or maybe you've felt like an outside  observer of your own body and thoughts.  

Or not in control of your speech. Or like  your arms and legs were too big or too small.

These are symptoms of depersonalization.

Together, they make up the components of  depersonalization-derealization disorder.,  

This falls into the family  of dissociative disorders,  

where there is a disruption or a breakdown  of awareness, consciousness, or memory.

With derealization, the disconnection is with  your environment, while with depersonalization,  

the disconnection is with your thoughts or  body. But a key aspect of this disorder is that  

you know these feelings of detachment aren't  real, which is what separates it from psychosis.

Passing episodes of derealization or  depersonalization are pretty common.  

A 2001 study found that in just one  year, 19% of the 1000 participants  

had experienced an episode of depersonalization  and 14% experienced an episode of derealization.

The disorder, on the other hand is pretty rare,  

as only about 2% of the population  experience these episodes repeatedly.,  

Typically, these individuals include those  who have had a traumatic event in the past,  

struggle with severe stress, or have another  mental disorder like depression or anxiety.,

While the exact cause is unknown, the 2001 study  found that 78% of the reported episodes occurred  

when something very stressful happened and 66%  when the individual was nervous or depressed.

Findings like these have led some researchers to  believe that it may be a way to reduce anxiety and  

increase alertness, essentially putting you in  survival mode when your body feels threatened.

But when these episodes cause distress  

or interfere with your life,  it's time to see a doctor.

In order to treat the disorder, your healthcare  provider will develop a treatment plan that  

addresses the trigger that causes the  symptoms and the severity of the episodes.

Typically, some form of psychotherapy is used,  but in patients with depression or anxiety,  

an antidepressant or antianxiety  medication may also be prescribed.

This adaptive method has been found to help  even severely dissociative individuals. So,  

if you're struggling with episodes of  derealization or depersonalization,  

contact your doctor or check out the  description for links to some helpful resources.

and it's always best to believe people  when they say they're going through  

this. The last thing somebody who is experiencing  depersonalization or derealization wants to hear  

is that they're making all this up. They  know something wrong, so be there for them!

Are there any other disorders  you want me to talk about next?  

Let me know in the comment section below,  and if you're comfortable with sharing,  

let me know if you or someone you know has  experienced derealization or depersonalization.

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and as always my name is Blocko, this has been  life noggin, don't forget to keep on thinking!