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Depersonalization Disorder Can Result In Sleep Disorders

by Jonathan Drake

Almost everyone has moments where they feel out of touch with reality. These feelings usually occur during times of great stress, grief, or lack of sleep. However, when these feelings persist for long periods of time and begin to interfere in a person's daily functioning, the person may be suffering from a severe mental disorder known as depersonalization disorder.

People suffering from depersonalization disorder always feel as though they are detached from the real world. They often feel like they are only going through the motions. In severe cases, the person may feel like they are watching their life from a distance as though in a movie or play. Other symptoms include loss of taste, absence of feeling and emotion, and lack of thoughts. The person may also feel like their voice sounds far away.

Though the main cause of depersonalization disorder is not known, it has been linked with childhood abuse and emotional or sexual abuse. Depersonalization disorder has also been known to be linked to cases where extremely stressful situations, accidents, and physical trauma have happened.

Earlier in time, drugs were the primary modality for depersonalization treatment. Naloxene, benzodiazepine, and some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have proven to be possibly successful ways to treat this condition, although nobody has yet come up with a means of restoring a patient to an entirely normal level of functioning.

New treatments are currently being researched which can offer depersonalization help without having to use medications. By increasing the volume of vegetables and fruits in a patient's diet, while lowering the amount of high fat dairy products and red meat, has shown some benefits to depersonalization sufferers. Another thing that seems to help patients is exercising daily. Though, the best therapy has been behavioral therapy where the patient can learn to associate feelings of dissociation with bad though patterns.

It can take a toll on the patient and their families involved for those who are suffering from the mental disorder. Since the disorder often happens along with other mental disorders like bi-polar disorder and depression, the mental and emotional pain can seem insurmountable and overwhelming. Although, with new treatments that don't include medications that hold a considerable promise, depersonalization patients and their families can see into the future with a new promise.

Those who suffer from depersonalization disorder, often feel as if they are not in the real world. In bad cases, they may feel like they are watching their life slip away like in a movie or a play. Other symptoms are absence of emotion and feeling, lack of thoughts, and loss of taste. Drugs were primary used for depersonalization treatment. Naloxene, benzodiazepine, and some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have proven to be reasonably successful in treating this condition. Right now, treatments are being investigated which might provide non-medicinal depersonalization help. Some positive results have been observed by increasing the quantity of fruits and vegetables in the sufferer's diet.

Published December 28th, 2008

Filed in Health, Psychology