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Dissociative

Depersonalisation/derealisation disorder

Persistent feeling of being out of one's own body or that the environment is unreal, as in a dream, maintaining awareness that it is not.

Common signs

Feeling like an observer of oneselfThe world seems unreal or distantSense of reality is kept

Tips

For you

  1. Sensory grounding techniques
  2. Reduce anxiety and stress
  3. See a psychologist

For family and friends

  1. Reassure them: it is an anxiety reaction, not madness
  2. Help with grounding techniques (naming what they see, touching objects)

When to ask for help

  1. If it is persistent or very intense
  2. If you use cannabis or other substances

Are you having a really hard time? If you're thinking of harming yourself, call 024 (free, 24 hours) or 112.

Guidance test

Answer thinking about the last few weeks. There are 8 questions and you get your result straight away. Your answers are not saved or sent.

0 of 8
1. I feel as if I'm watching myself from outside
2. I feel my emotions are switched off
3. The world seems unreal or dreamlike to me
4. Things seem distant or blurry
5. I know it's a feeling, but it scares me
6. It happens to me for hours or days
7. It happens more when I'm stressed
8. It makes it hard for me to live normally
Also take the full anxiety test →

Free resources

Downloadable PDF sheetSigns, tips and resources to print or saveFree guide: AnxietyFree resource from Clínica Vivaldi

Related disorders

Dissociative identity disorderDissociativeDissociative amnesiaDissociative

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Reviewed by María Teresa Fernández Vicente, health psychologist and neuropsychologist (registration no. CV17304), in November 2026. Educational information prepared by the Clínica Vivaldi team based on the DSM-5-TR classification. It does not replace a professional assessment and cannot be used to diagnose.