Depersonalization
Pronunciation: dee-per-sun-uh-lih-ZAY-shun
A dissociative symptom characterized by a persistent or recurrent sense of detachment from one's own mental processes or body, as if one is an outside observer.
Full Definition
Depersonalization is a distinct clinical construct documented alongside but separately from derealization in psychiatric evaluations. It may manifest as feeling robotic, emotionally numb, or as though one is watching oneself from outside the body. Editors working on discharge summaries and psychotherapy notes should ensure that depersonalization and derealization are never merged into a single symptom label. The ICD-11 code F48.1 and DSM-5-TR code 300.6 (F48.1) apply when the symptoms constitute a disorder.
Usage
Usage note: One word, no hyphen. American standard spelling. Must not be merged with 'derealization' in symptom lists.
In Context
- "The progress note described recurrent episodes of depersonalization in which the patient reported feeling 'outside' her own body during panic attacks." — Outpatient progress note
- "An editor reviewing DSM diagnostic criteria sections should preserve 'depersonalization' as one unhyphenated word." — Clinical document review