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Depersonalization Phenomena in Psychiatric Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Rima Brauer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510
Martin Harrow
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine; Yale-New Haven Hospital
Gary J. Tucker
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine; Psychiatric Inpatient Division, Yale-New Haven Hospital

Extract

The complaints, ‘I am a stranger to myself; I am unreal’, are manifestations of depersonalization which have been noted frequently by clinicians. Depersonalization has been reported in epilepsy, after drug ingestion, encephalitis, hysteria, manic depression, and schizophrenia, as well as in various neurotic patients. It has also been noted in normals, but usually after emotional shock or physical exhaustion. Most recently, persistent feelings of depersonalization have been elevated to the status of a diagnostic entity in itself.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1970 

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