Book Description
"Everything feels unreal to me, like a dream...I feel detached, like a stranger to myself."These are quotes from actual people, experiencing something they don't understand.What they are saying is being heard by friends, families, and physicians today more than ever before.They do not simply suffer from anxiety, or depression, and they are not schizophrenic.They have found themselves trapped in a very real and singular disorder, yet few even know its name.Their enigmatic state of mind has been studied for more than 100 years, but only recently has it become clear how prevalent and how distinctive it really is.The condition is called Depersonalization Disorder, and Feeling Unreal is the first book to reveal what it's all about. This important volume explores not only Depersonalization, but the philosophical and literary implications of selflessness as well, while providing the latest research, possible treatments, and ways to live and thrive when life seems "unreal."For those who still believe that such experiences are merely part of something else, that depersonalization is just a symptom and not a disorder in its own right, Feeling Unreal presents compelling evidence to the contrary.This book provides long-awaited answers for people suffering from Depersonalization Disorder and their loved ones, for mental health professionals, and for all students of the condition, while serving as a wake up call to the medical community at large. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Feeling Unreal: Depersonalization Disorder
This book was excellent, providing a good review of much of the literature, the symptoms and some treatment options.The book is realistic and does not promote any "miracle" cures for depersonalizaiton, but is a good guidline for clinicians and for those with depersonalization disorder.

Really good
This is remarkably erudite and well-written for a book by an American psychiatrist. For some reason American psychiatrists have always been rather uninterested in unreality. Reading it prompted me to re-read some work Guy Edwards and Scott Angus did years ago at Bergen Pines Hospital, ("Depersonalization", British Journal of PsychiatryFebruary1972, pages 242-244) and I noted that every reference there was British.The American lack of interest may be part of the reason that victims of depersonalization so often complain that their therapists do not understand them. In some cases the therapists are genuinely ignorant of the disorder. However the fear of not being understood may be intrinsic to the condition. Patients constantly use such phrases as "I don't know how to describe it" and "you don't understand" and remain convinced that no-one else feels as they do, so perhaps this book will help them in that respect.It is not very optimistic about treatment and prognosis and might not be very encouraging as a self-help manual.I think professionals in the field will find it interesting, It is highly readable and the authors show a commendable knowledge of the earlier French and German literature and treat the psychoanalytic writings and claims of psychopharmacologists with a seasoned skepticism.

Review for depersonalization disorder book publication
This book gives current, comprehensive information about depersonalization disorder, including what it would be like to live with the condition, ways to cope with it, and possible medications for treatment.

Thankyou Dr. Simeon
I thought I was the only one.I was amazed at how informative this book is.One of the personal accounts is almost identical to my own.I never knew it had a name until I discovered this book.It has given me renewed hope.I hope this book inspires more research in the field of depersonalization.If you even suspect you may suffer from this, read it.

Fascinating!
An enlightening book on a subject that has needed Illumination. This book covers the many forms and facets of DPD as well as the many ways it has been described, defined and managed. It covers therapies and medicines that have helped and those that have not. The case studies are fascinating and show just how varied this disorder manifests itself. It is so well written that it seemed every question and skeptic querie that came to mind regarding the cases were anticipated by the authors and answered by the end of the chapers. An easy read on a tough subject! ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 534 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Stress, panic, depression, drugs bring on depersonalization disorder.(Adult Psychiatry)
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 32Issue: 3Page: 42(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description

The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders is a comprehensive two-volume set providing detailed information on mental disorders and conditions, in an easy-to-use format. It includes entries for all 150 disorders classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and also features entries for prescription, alternative and over-the-counter drugs, as well as the various therapies used to treat mental disorders.

Book Description
The article is excerpted fromGale Encyclopedia of Medicine.

Consult the second edition of this authoritative, comprehensive, in-depth medical guide for information on more than 1,700 medical topics in language accessible to adult laypersons. Presented in a single alphabetical sequence, articles range in length from one or two paragraphs for minor topics, to several pages or more for major topics. Disease/disorder articles typically cover definition; description; causes and symptoms; diagnosis; treatments; prevention; and more. Test/treatment articles typically cover definition; purposes; precautions; preparation; risks; normal and abnormal results; and much more. This second edition includes more than 200 new entries, 300 updated entries, approximately 650 color images and illustrations, and a comprehensive subject index. New features include biographical and historical sidebars throughout the text.

Disease/disorder articles contain some or all of the following sections:

• Definitions -- brief dictionary-style definition of the disorder
• Descriptions -- overview of the disorder; who gets it and why
• Causes & symptoms -- process, substance or organism that produces the condition; any risk factors that increase susceptibility to the condition; signs and symptoms of the disease
• Diagnosis -- overview of procedures and tests used to diagnose the condition; how the test is done; who should be tested and when; time required; cost; whether it's typically covered by insurance
• Treatments -- overview of conventional methods of care or management of the condition, such as drugs, surgeries, physical therapy, etc.
• Alternative treatments -- overview of alternative/complementary therapies that may be used to treat the condition
• Prognosis -- probable outcome of the disease
• Preventions -- what actions can be taken to prevent the condition from occurring

Book Description

The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders is a comprehensive two-volume set providing detailed information on mental disorders and conditions, in an easy-to-use format. It includes entries for all 150 disorders classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and also features entries for prescription, alternative and over-the-counter drugs, as well as the various therapies used to treat mental disorders.