Depersonalization

gruenchen

hey there,
I am working with a young girl recently diagnosed with depersonalization disorder and I was wondering If anyone has experience with it, could forward info or links or booktips?
Everything appreciated

thanks

investment

The person believes they are looking at themselves from outside there body. An out of body experience almost like watching a movie of themselves and talking about thenselves as a third party. I know many patients with this disorder

gruenchen

do you have any book recommendations for me? I have been browsing on the internet but I havent found anything satisfying yet.

JuliusCaesar

I have to say that if you know nothing about this disorder, and can't work your way around Google, Google Scholar, PsychInfo etc, I am sorely tempted to say that you shouldn't be working with somebody like this. Maybe you can give us a hint as to the kind of "working with" you are doing? Are you a counsellor or trainee counsellor? Or just a colleague in an office/workplace?

If you are a colleague, maybe Personal Issues would be a better place to ask, as we cannot give out advice here.

investment

gruenchen wrote: »

do you have any book recommendations for me? I have been browsing on the internet but I havent found anything satisfying yet.

There isn't much info on this disorder as its not very common on its own. Like many things within psychology it over laps into more common personality disorders

As judy said we can't give out advice. You'll just have to research it yourself

Kooli

Surely someone can actually help the OP out with a bit of information or a link or two?

I'm afraid I don't know a whole lot about it myself. I have only worked with one client who experienced a lot of depersonalisation, and I know that symptom bothered her far more than other (quite serious) symptoms she had.

cranks

Sounds like you've a bit of reading to do!

I suggest that you:
a) look at depersonalisation from a 'dissociative disorder' point of view and use that as your search term. Dissociation is widely regarded as a survival mechanism - it's a kind of physiological shut down.

b) when you've considered dissociative states then ask yourself what neurological structures underpin such presentations and why might such a state be beneficial. What are the mechanics of this presentation/what's going on biologically?
Specifically, I'd recommend you think about the biological aeitiology of such presentations and consider it from an early experience point of view. Typically, de-personal/dissociative states are linked to a history of trauma and in my view the attachment theorists who consider how trauma impacts on developing brain architecture are a good place to start.

You might find Bruce Perry's work interesting.
Try this:
http://childtrauma.org/images/stories/Articles/state_trait_95.pdf

This is a good article that might help direct you but go back to the main website for more:http://childtrauma.org/
Also, his book 'The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog' gives a good layman's intro to stress/neglect and its impact on neurobiology.


In the same vein, check out Allan Schore. A sample
http://www.allanschore.com/pdf/SchorePsychInq02.pdf
Pg 458 of this article directly addresses 'depersonalisation' in the context of trauma.

Hope this helps.

gruenchen

Thanks, looks like a good start. I am not a counsellor I am working in a community based programme with a girl and she has been sent to hospital diagnosed with above and I want to read about the topic to see what I can do to help her and to better understand what she is going through. I was just wondering If anyone had a book suggestion as I found a view books ystd and was unsure which one to get or where to start with research.

JuliusCaesar

Ok, thanks for clarifying that. The first named author of this book is well-known and so it could be a useful read.

A short article giving an overview of the subject is here.

This self-help book from the UK comes from a well-known series of CBT based books, usually written by experts in the field. HTH.