Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
Cancel
×
×
Home
  • Home
Article

Theories of Depersonalization: A Re-appraisal

  • G. Sedman (a1)
Extract

Introduction There have been many theories put forward to explain the not uncommon symptoms of depersonalization. They were aptly summarized by Ackner (1954) in the following way. There are theories which regard depersonalization as a symptom with an organic basis; there are theories which consider it a disturbance of a particular psychological function; there are analytic theories; and finally there is a theory which would suggest that depersonalization is a form of schizophrenia. This paper is concerned with a re-appraisal of all these theories in the light of recent and current research on the subject.

Copyright
COPYRIGHT: © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1970 
References
Hide All
Ackner, B. (1954). ‘Depersonalisation I. Aetiology and phenomenology: II. Clinical syndromes.’ J. ment. Sci., 100, 838–72.
Anderson, E. W. (1938). ‘A clinical study of states of “ecstasy” occurring in affective disorders.’ J. Neurol. Psychiat., 1, 1–20.
Ardis, J. A., and McKellar, P. (1957). ‘Hypnagogic imagery and mescaline.’ J. ment. Sci., 102, 22–9.
Aronson, H., Waterman, C. E., and Klee, G. D. (1962). ‘Effect of lysergic acid diethylamide (L.S.D. 25) on learning and retention.’ J. clin. exp. Psychopath., 23, 17–23.
Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., and Erbaugh, J. (1961). ‘An inventory for measuring depression.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 4, 561–71.
Bergum, B. O., and Klein, I. C. (1961). A Survey and Analysis of Vigilance Research. Hum RRO. Research Report’: U.S. Army Air Defense Human Research Unit, Texas.
Buss, E. L., Clark, L. D., and West, C. D. (1959). ‘Studies of sleep deprivation—relationship to schizophrenia.’ Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., 81, 348–359.
Cappon, D., and Banks, R. (1961). ‘Orientational perception I.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 5, 380–92.
Cappon, D., and Banks, R. (1965). ‘Orientational perception II. Body perception in depersonalisation.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 13, 375–9.
Crawshaw, R. (1963). ‘Reactions to a disaster.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 9, 157–62.
Davis, J. M., McCourt, W. F., Courtney, J., and Soloman, P. (1960). ‘The effects of visual stimulation on hallucinations and other mental experiences during sensory deprivation.’ Amer. J. Psychiat., 116, 889–92.
Davison, K. (1964). ‘Episodic depersonalization: observations on seven patients.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 110, 505–13.
Dillon, D. J. (1962). ‘Estimations of bodily dimensions.’ Percept. mot. Skills, 14, 219–21.
Dixon, J. C. (1963). ‘Depersonalisation phenomena in a sample population of college students.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 109, 371–5.
Fisher, S. (1963). ‘Body image and hypnotic response.’ Int. J. clin. and exp. Hypnosis, 11, 153–62.
Fisher, S. (1964). and Cleveland, S. E. (1958). Body Image and Personality. Princeton: Van Nostrand Co.
Fisher, S., Seidner, R. (1963). ‘Body experiences of schizophrenic, neurotic and normal women.’ J. nerv. ment. Dis., 137, 252–7.
Galdston, I. (1947). ‘On the aetiology of depersonalization.’ J. nerv. ment. Dis., 105, 25–39.
Gjessing, L. R., Harding, G. F. A., Jenner, F. A., and Johann Essen, N. B. (1967). ‘The EEG in three cases of periodic catatonia.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 113, 1271–82.
Grinberg, L. (1966). ‘Obsessive mechanisms and depersonalization.’ Int. J. Psychoanal., 47, 177–83.
Guttman, E., and Maclay, W. S. (1936). ‘Mescalin and depersonalization.’ J. Neurol. Psychopath., 16, 193–212.
Harper, M., and Roth, M. (1962). ‘Temporal lobe epilepsy and the phobic-anxiety-depersonalisation syndrome.’ Comp. Psychiat., 3, 129–51.
Haug, K. (1936). Die Störungen des Persönlichkeitsbewusstseins und verwandte Entfremdungserlebnisse. Stuttgart. Enke.
Heilbronner, K. (1900–1). ‘Über Krankheitseinsicht.’ Z. f. Psychiat., 58, quoted by Lewis, A. J. (1934).
Hunter, R. C. A. (1966). ‘Depersonalisation in a borderline patient.’ Int. J. Psychoanal., 47, 32–41.
Jackson, J. H. (1884). ‘Croonian Lectures on Evolution and Dissolution of the Nervous System’, in Selected Writings of John Hughlings Jackson, ed. Taylor, J. Vol. II. London: Staples Press. 1958.
Janet, P. (1903). Les Obsessions et la Psychasthénie. Paris: Alcan.
Jarvik, M. E., Abramson, H. A., and Hirsch, M. W. (1955). ‘Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD 25) IV. Effect on attention and concentration.’ J. Psychol., 39, 373–83.
Jarvik, M. E., Abramson, H. A., and Hirsch, M. W. (1955). ‘Comparative subjective effects of seven drugs including lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD 25).’ J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 51, 657–62.
Jaspers, K. General Psychopathology 7th ed. (Trans. Hoenig, J. and Hamilton, M. W. Manchester: University Press, 1962).
Kelly, D. H. W. (1965). ‘Measurement of anxiety by forearm blood flow.’ M.D. Thesis. University of London.
Kelly, D. H. W. (1966). ‘Measurement of anxiety by forearm blood flow.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 111, 1012–13.
Kelly, D. H. W., Walter, C. J. S. (1968). ‘The relationship between clinical diagnosis and anxiety, assessed by forearm blood flow and other measurements.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 114, 611–26.
Kenna, J. C. (1962). ‘Sensory deprivation phenomena: critical review and explanatory models.’ Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 55, 1004–10.
Klages, W. (1959). ‘Depersonalisationserscheinungen bei hirnorganisch Kranken und Schizophrenen.’ Archiv. f. Psychiatrie un. Z f d. ges. Neurologie, 119, 266–79.
Klein, M. (1946). ‘Notes on some schizoid mechanisms.’ Int. J. Psychoanal., 27, 99–110.
Kornetsky, C., and Humphries, O. (1957). ‘Relationship between effects of a number of centrally acting drugs and personality.’ Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., 77, 325–7.
Krishaber, , (1872). ‘De la névropathie cérébrocardiaque.’ Gaz. Sci. méd. (Bordeaux).
Kuramochi, H. (1961). ‘Psychopathological study of experimental psychoses induced by LSD 25. 1 Outline of LSD symptoms in normal subjects.’ Psychiat. Neurol. Jap., 63, 91–105.
Lader, M. H., and Wing, L. (1966). Physiological Measures, Sedative Drugs and Morbid Anxiety. Maudsley Monograph No. 14. London: Oxford University Press.
Langfeldt, G. (1960). ‘Diagnosis and prognosis of schizophrenia.’ Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 52, 595–6.
Levine, J., and Ludwig, A. M. (1965). ‘Alterations in consciousness produced by combinations of LSD, hypnosis and psychotherapy.’ Psychopharmacol., 7, 123–37.
Lewis, A. J. (1934). ‘Melancholia: a clinical survey of depressive states.’ J. ment. Sci., 80, 277–378.
Lewis, N. D. C. (1949). ‘Criteria for early differential diagnosis of psychoneurosis and schizophrenia.’ Amer. J. Psychother., 3, 4–18.
Lewis, N. D. C. (1965). ‘Some possible basic determinants of depersonalisation phenomena,’ in Psychopathology of Perception eds. Hoch, P. H. and Zubin, J. New York: Grune and Stratton.
Linton, H. B., and Langs, R. J. (1962a). ‘Subjective reactions to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD 25). Arch. gen. Psychiat., 6, 352–68.
Linton, H. B., and Langs, R. J. (1962b). ‘Placebo reactions in a study of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD 25).’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 6, 369–83.
Loewy, M. (1908). ‘Die Aktionsgefühle: ein Depersonalisationsfall als Beitrag zur Psychologie des Aktivitätsgefühls und des Persönlichkeitsbewusstseins.’ Prag. med. Wsch., 33, 443–61.
MacCurdy, J. T. (1925). The Psychology of Emotion. London.
McKellar, P. (1957). ‘Imagination and Thinking: A Psychological Analysis. London: Cohen and West.
Mapother, E. Quoted by Mayer-Gross, (1935).
Mayer-Gross, W. (1935). ‘On Depersonalisation.’ Brit. J. med. Psychol., 15, 103–122.
Meyer, J. E. (1956). ‘Studien zur Depersonalisation.’ Psychiat. et Neurol. (Basel), 132, 221–32.
Meyer, J. E. (1959). “’Dreamy states” und Depersonalisation.’ Arch. f. Psychiat., 200, 12–18.
Nunberg, H. (1956). Practice and Theory of Psychoanalysis. New York: Int. Univ. Press.
Oesterreich (1910). Die Phenomenologie des Ich. Leipzig.
Pick, A. (1904). ‘Zur Pathologie des Ich-Bewusstseins. Studie aus der allgemeinen Psychopathologie.’ Arch. Psychiat., (Berlin), 38, 22–3.
Reed, G. F. (1962). ‘Preparatory set as a factor in the production of sensory deprivation phenomena.’ Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 55, 1010–14.
Reed, G. F., Sedman, G. (1964). ‘Personality and depersonalisation under sensory deprivation conditions.’ Percept. motor Skills, 18, 659–60.
Ribot, T. (1882). Diseases of Memory. London.
Roberts, W. W. (1960). ‘Normal and abnormal depersonalisation.’ J. ment. Sci., 106, 478–93.
Rosenfeld, H. (1947). ‘Analysis of schizophrenic state with depersonalisation.’ Int J. Psychoanal., 28, 130–9.
Roth, M. (1960). ‘The phobic anxiety-depersonalisation syndrome and some general aetiological problems in psychiatry.’ J. Neuropsychiat., 1, 292–306.
Roth, M., Harper, M. (1962). ‘Temporal lobe epilepsy and the phobic anxiety-depersonalisation syndrome II.’ Comp. Psychiat., 3, 215–26.
Salfield, D. J. (1958). ‘Depersonalisation and allied disturbances in childhood.’ J. ment. Sci., 104, 472–6.
Sarlin, C. N. (1962). ‘Depersonalisation and derealisation.’ J. Amer. Psychol. Assoc., 10, 784–804.
Schilder, P. (1914). Selbstbewusstsein und Persönlichkeitbewusstsein. Berlin.
Schilder, P. (1928). Introduction to Analytical Psychiatry. New York: Nerv. Ment. Dis. Pub. Co.
Sedman, G., and Reed, G. F. (1963). ‘Depersonalisation phenomena in obsessional personalities and in depression.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 109, 376–9.
Sedman, G., Kenna, J. C. (1963). ‘Depersonalisation and mood changes in schizophrenia.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 109, 669–673.
Sedman, G., Kenna, J. C. (1964). ‘The occurrence of depersonalisation phenomena under L.S.D.’ Psychiat. et Neurol. (Basel), 147, 129–37.
Sedman, G., Kenna, J. C. (1965). ‘Depersonalisation in temporal lobe epilepsy and the organic psychoses.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 111, 293–9.
Sedman, G. (1966). ‘Depersonalisation in a group of normal subjects.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 112, 907–12.
Sedman, G. (1967). ‘Experimental and phenomenological approaches to the problem of hallucinations in organic psychosyndromes.’ Brit. J. Psychiat., 113, 1115–21.
Sedman, G. (1968). ‘An investigation of states of affect and alteration in consciousness as factors concerned in the aetiology of depersonalisation.’ Ph.D. Thesis (Unpublished) University of Sheffield.
Shorvon, H. J. (1946). ‘The depersonalisation syndrome.’ Proc. roy. Soc. Med., 39, 779–85.
Shurley, J. T. (1960). ‘Profound experimental sensory isolation.’ Amer. J. Psychiat., 117, 539–45.
Silverstein, A., and Klee, G. D. (1958). ‘A psycho-pharmacological test of the “body image in hypothesis”.’ J. nerv. ment. Dis., 127, 328–9.
Silverstein, A., and Klee, G. D. (1959). ‘Effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD 25) on intellectual functions.’ Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., 80, 477–80.
Silverstein, A., and Klee, G. D. (1960). ‘The effect of L.S.D. on digit span.’ J. clin. exp. Psychopath., 21, 11–14.
Skoog, G. (1965). ‘Onset of anancastic conditions.’ Acta psychiat. neurol. Scand., Suppl. 184 to Vol. 14.
Smith, S., and Lewty, W. (1959). ‘Perceptual isolation using a silent room.’ Lancet, ii, 342–5.
Sours, J. A. (1965). ‘The “break-off” phenomenon.’ Arch. gen. Psychiat., 13, 447–56.
Stamm, J. L. (1962). ‘Altered ego states allied to depersonalisation.’ J. Amer. psychoanal. Assoc., 10, 762–83.
Stewart, W. A. (1964). ‘Report of a panel on depersonalisation.’ J. Amer. psychoanal. Assoc., 12, 171–86.
Taine, H. (1870). De l'Intelligence.
Vernon, J. A., and Hoffman, I. (1961). ‘Effects of sensory deprivation on learning rate in human beings.’ Science, 133, 1808–12.
Von Mering, O., Morimoto, K., Hyde, R. W., and Rinkelm, . (1957). ‘Experimentally induced depersonalisation.’ in Experimental Psychopathology, ed. Hoch, P. H., and Zubin, T. New York: Grune and Stratton.
Wilmanns, K. (1907). ‘Die Differentialdiagnostik der funktionellen Psychosen.’ Zent. f. Nervenheilk u. Psychiat., Berlin, Leipzig, 30, 569–88.
Ziskind, E. (1965). ‘An explanation of mental symptoms found in acute sensory deprivation.’ Amer. J, Psychiat., 121, 939–46.
Zubek, J. P., Sansom, W., and Prysiaznuik, A. (1960). ‘Intellectual changes during prolonged perceptual isolation (darkness and silence).’ Canad. J. Psychol., 14, 233–43.
Recommend this journal

Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this journal to your organisation's collection.

The British Journal of Psychiatry
  • ISSN: 0007-1250
  • EISSN: 1472-1465
  • URL: /core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry
Please enter your name
Please enter a valid email address
Who would you like to send this to? *

CAPTCHA *

Skip to the audio challenge
×

Metrics

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Abstract views

Total abstract views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between <date>. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed

Theories of Depersonalization: A Re-appraisal

  • G. Sedman (a1)
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.

×

Reply to: Submit a response

Your details

Conflicting interests

Do you have any conflicting interests? *

Cancel
Confirm
×