NAMI Mercer County

Families Meeting the Challenge of Mental Illness

Debunking DDD

By

Angelina Villalva, NAMI Intern

One of my all time favorite movies is The Truman Show. For those unfamiliar (or need a recap), the movie revolves around a guy named Truman, and unbeknownst to him, he’s the star of a TV show about his own life. Neighbors, friends, even his own family, are all actors. Every detail in his life, from his fear of dogs, to the woman he’s married to, was planned and controlled. As viewers progress through the film, we not only discover just how much of his life is being manipulated, but how far people will go to keep him from discovering the truth. 

Aside from the plot, what makes The Truman Show meaningful to so many people, including myself, belongs to its relatability. As Truman slowly discovers the truth about the world around him, he’s faced with weird feelings that something in his environment is not quite right, or that the things around him are not real. As he begins to break down and become more and more suspicious of these things, Truman begins to exhibit symptoms of derealization. 

It is very common for people to experience feelings of derealization. In fact, according to the Merck Manual, almost one half of people will have experienced feelings of detachment from themselves (depersonalization) or their surroundings (derealization) at some point in their life. This can occur after experiencing life-threatening danger, taking certain hallucinogens or drugs, becoming very tired, or being deprived of sleep. 

However, some individuals may be afflicted from symptoms of depersonalization and derealization for long periods of time, which can make it hard to function. This is what’s known as Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DDD). 

As mentioned before, individuals with DDD may experience feelings of detachment from their surroundings, but they may also experience detachment from their body. Therefore, symptoms of DDD are split between derealization experiences, and depersonalization experiences. 

Derealization Symptoms

  • Feeling that people and surroundings are not real (almost like you’re living in a movie/dream) 
  • Feeling emotionally disconnected from people you care about 
  • Surroundings that appear out of their usual shape or are blurry or colorless
  • Thoughts about time that are not real such as recent events feeling like the distant past
  • Unrealistic thoughts about distance and the size and shapes of objects

Depersonalization Symptoms

  • Feelings that you’re seeing thoughts, feelings, or body or parts of body from the outside 
  • Feeling like a robot or that you’re not in control of what you say or how you move 
  • The sense that your body, legs, or arms, appear twisted or like they’re not the right shape 
  • Emotional or physical numbness of your senses or responses to the world around you
  • Sense that memories lack emotion and they may or may not be your own memories

The causes of DDD are still not well understood. Some think that high levels of stress, fear, childhood trauma or generally stressful and traumatic events could lead to bouts of DDD. It is also highly probable that due to genetic and environmental factors some people may be more likely to experience depersonalization and derealization than others, but again there is no definite source. 

What sets DDD apart from a psychotic disorder is awareness. Despite feeling this detachment and separation from bodily or environmental senses, individuals remain in touch with reality and understand that these perceptions aren’t real. This often causes frustration and anxiety, with people commonly reporting feeling that they are going crazy. This awareness can lead to comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, or personality disorders. 

While it is still unsure about the best way to treat DDD, the most current available options are to use various psychotherapies (cognitive behavioral, eye movement desensitization processing) or medication. 

As always, remember you are supported and loved, even if you feel alone. There will always be someone willing to listen, and you deserve to get the resources you need. 

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