Feeling Unreal: Depersonalization Disorder and the Loss of the Self

by Daphne Simeon, Jeffrey Abugel

Overview

Feeling Unreal is the first book to reveal what depersonalization disorder is 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 strategies for living and thriving when life seems 'unreal.' For those who still believe that such experiences are still a 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199766352
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/07/2008
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Daphne Simeon, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. For over 10 years she has been conducting clinical research in the field of dissociation, has received several grant awards, and has numerous peer-reviewed publications. She currently co-chairs an international task force that will generate new recommendations for the DSM-V classification of dissociative disorders.
Jeffrey Abugel has worked as an editor and writer for more than 25 years. He has researched depersonalization and its relationship to philosophy and literature since the 1980s. He is a graduate of New York University's Washington Square College, and founder of the depersonalization-themed website, www.depersonalization.info. He is also a member of the American Medical Writers Association.

Table of Contents

Introduction 3
1 Strangers to Our Selves 5
2 Expressions of the Inexpressible 17
3 The Path of Understanding-A Century of Exploration 49
4 Diagnosing Depersonalization Disorder 71
5 Unraveling the Enigma: Clinical Research on Depersonalization Disorder 83
6 The Biology of Depersonalization 105
7 The Blow of the Void 127
8 Medication Treatment of Depersonalization 159
9 Psychotherapy Treatment of Depersonalization 171 Epilogue: Living Unreal 201 Frequently Asked Questions 207 Notes 219 Index 233

Editorial Reviews

"In short, the authors are to be congratulated for a timely and highly relevant contribution that fills an unjustified gap in the psychiatric literature. As such, it is destined to become a classic in the field."—Psychological Medicine

From the Publisher