Depersonalization Phenomena in Psychiatric Patients

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.