Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DDD) Test

Can you say for sure that your world is real and that you are not dreaming right now? Most people will answer this question in the affirmative and will be able to give a lot of arguments. When you wake up, you feel a connection between your body and mind, as well as a connection with the world around you. But what if one day it seems to you that you are watching your life in a dream or from the outside? What if you begin to doubt the reality of what is happening around you, and all attempts at logical analysis are broken by the wall of the feeling of unreality of what is happening? This is the essence of a dangerous psychological condition - depersonalization-derealization disorder (abbreviated as DDD).

Experiencing this disorder, a person feels detached from himself, his body and the world around him. Imagine that you are watching a movie about your life, and not living it. This most closely describes what people with DDD experience.

The most common symptoms are::

• Feeling that the self, emotions, or body are distant or unreal.
• Feeling like an outside observer of one's thoughts or body.
• Feeling that the world is not the same as it once was, or that the world seems dreamy, hazy, or artificial.
• Feeling that memories lack emotion, seem dull, and distant.

The exact causes of this condition are not yet known, but the most common signals include:

• Traumatic events: This disorder can be triggered by severe stress, such as emotional trauma, accidents, abuse, or loss of a loved one. The brain then uses DDD as a defense mechanism to cope with intense emotional pain.
• Anxiety and depression: These conditions often worsen existing DDD symptoms, but can sometimes trigger DDD as a response to a prolonged depressive state.
• Medications: Some strong drugs, such as those used as antidepressants, can cause feelings of depersonalization or derealization.
• Specific Medical Conditions: Medical conditions such as migraines, seizures, and even some infections can lead to DDD.

If you are experiencing the symptoms described above, you should definitely consult a specialist. It is important to understand that DDD is a very dangerous condition that requires professional evaluation. This test is not a diagnostic tool, but it gives an idea of the severity of DDD symptoms. It consists of 20 questions based on the criteria set out in the DSM-5. You will receive scores on the depersonalization and derealization scales, as well as a total score indicating the likelihood of DDD. Please note that the depersonalization/derealization test is not a diagnostic tool and is provided for educational purposes only.

References

• Michal, M. (2022). Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder. In Dissociation and the Dissociative Disorders (pp. 380-391). Routledge.
• Simeon, D., Knutelska, M., Nelson, D., and Guralnik, O. (2003). Feeling unreal: a depersonalization disorder update of 117 cases. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 64(9),990-997.