Derealization: What It Is, Characteristics And Causes Of This Alteration
Derealization is one of those psychological phenomena that patients who experience it and come to psychotherapy find more difficult to describe.
They explain that they feel disconnected from their environment, or even from their family. Not simply emotionally disenchanted, like someone who has suffered a heartbreak or disappointment, but almost literally disconnected: as if oneself and others were part of different worlds.
Sometimes, derealization is part of psychological disorders that can last for months or years if not treated; and sometimes, it is a passing experience that is never repeated again. In any case, it is important to know this alteration of perception, and that is why in this article I will explain what it consists of.
What is derealization and what are the characteristics of this alteration?
One of the most researched topics throughout the development of Psychology as a science is the following: where does our perception of the here and now come from, what we are aware of at every moment?
This question has fascinated many philosophers and scientists for centuries, because there is an apparent contradiction in it. After centuries of understanding the human body as something similar to a machine with different sensor systems (our senses), our consciousness does not consist of a group of stimuli that reach us through different channels, but rather we experience it as a whole, a phenomenon that we cannot divide into sub-sections.
Nowadays this mystery is no longer so surprising, because through research into the functioning of the brain and its relationship with psychology, it has been proven that Behind the apparent unity of consciousness and the experience of perceiving things, there are several relatively independent processes coordinating with each other. That is why although we take for granted that the ability to use language is only one type of ability, there are people with brain injuries who can articulate words when speaking, but cannot understand speech, just as there are others who practically cannot speak. , but they do understand what they are told.
Derealization is another of those examples that behind an apparently homogeneous and unitary psychological phenomenon, there are different elements that in certain circumstances can show where they begin and where they end.
In this case, we are talking about an experience in which although we technically perceive the same objective elements and can represent all of them in our mind, We notice that there is something in that perceptual experience that is wrong, that is out of place. This occurs because although everything that our senses capture is captured in our consciousness, the psychological processes of recognition and emotional reaction to stimuli are altered.
As a result, in derealization we have the subjective sensation that what we perceive is separate from us, or does not belong to our plane of existence; We feel strange at what we see, touch and/or hear, as if it were part of a movie set, or a simulation. However, Not because it is a subjective sensation does derealization stop being real. It is a psychological phenomenon that can be (and has been) scientifically studied.
A phenomenon similar to derealization is depersonalization, in which what is perceived in a rarefied way is one’s own body or even one’s thoughts. Both are examples of dissociative symptoms that appear associated with some psychological or psychiatric disorders, but, as we will see, they are not always the expression of a severe problem.
In what situations can derealization occur?
From what we have seen so far, derealization seems to be something unpleasant, or at least disturbing. And the truth is that in most cases it is experienced as something negative. However, not always a reason to be alarmed.
That said, let’s see what the most common causes of derealization are.
1. Maintenance of a high level of anxiety
The wear and tear generated by anxiety for a relatively long time (for example, due to preparing for an important exam) can facilitate the appearance of derealization as a fleeting alteration of perception. This It occurs due to possible momentary imbalances in nervous and hormonal activity in our body. In cases like this we don’t even have to talk about suffering from a psychological disorder.
2. Panic disorder
In panic disorder there is a sudden and very extreme rise in anxiety level. This produces alterations not only in perception, but also in cognition (what we think and the type of decisions we make), as well as physical symptoms such as sweating, increased blood pressure, feeling dizzy, etc.
3. Traumas
As occurs with many dissociative phenomena, derealization also It is one of the consequences of this type of painful emotional marks that remain imprinted in our memory.
In fact, it is estimated that it appears (with more or less intensity) in the majority of cases in which traumatic experiences occur.
4. Consumption of psychoactive substances
The consumption of some drugs can cause derealization to emerge, and even delusional thoughts associated with it. (for example, believing that we are involuntarily participating in a play).
Can it be treated in therapy?
Derealization can be addressed in the context of therapy by helping the patient manage the physiological causes. As we have seen, it is a perceptual alteration closely linked to anxiety, so in psychological therapy we work to “train” the person to modulate their attentional focus and to adopt strategies to not continue feeding that state of anxiety. high activation of the nervous system.
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If you are thinking about going to a psychology consultation and starting a psychotherapy process, contact me. My name is Fernando Azor Lafarga I am a psychologist specialized in adults and the elderly, as well as Director of the Azor & Asociados center, from which I carry out both face-to-face psychological therapy sessions and online therapy by video call.
I have been working for many years in the field of clinical and health psychology as well as expert psychology and aeronautical psychology, and also collaborating with various media as a disseminator on topics related to psychology and mental health in general. To learn more about how I work, check out my author profile.
