Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a psychological treatment that employs a variety of methods to help individuals overcome personal problems, resolve emotional difficulties, and achieve personal growth. The primary goals are to help people find relief from distress, seek solutions to challenges, and modify unhelpful patterns of thinking and acting. Psychotherapy can be utilized as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with other approaches, such as biomedical therapy.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can be complicated and may require a unique approach or a change between supportive and psychodynamic approaches.

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- Psychotherapy
- Supportive interventions
- Psychodynamic approach
- Pharmacotherapy

The most effective treatment for DDD is specifically adapted to address the complex traumas and high level of dissociation among DDD patients.

Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder Treatments

Sierra, M., & David, A. S. (2011). Depersonalization: A selective impairment of self-awareness. Consciousness and Cognition, 20(1), 99–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2010.10.018

Depersonalization: A selective impairment of self-awareness

Gentile, J. P., Snyder, M., & Gillig, P. M. (2014). STRESS AND TRAUMA: Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depersonalization/ Derealization Disorder. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience, 11(7–8), 37–41. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4204471/pdf/icns_11_7-8_37.pdf

STRESS AND TRAUMA: Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

Psychotherapy and DDD

Supportive interventions consist of crisis interventions and shoring up existing coping skills and strategies. These are a better fit during periods of acute stressors, frequent dissociation, and/or severe depression and anxiety.

Supportive Interventions and DDD

During periods of relatively mild symptoms, a psychodynamic approach may be used in which the patient focuses on self-reflection and self-examination.

Psychodynamic Approach and DDD

There’s no known pharmacotherapy for treating DDD. Most medications prescribed to patients with DDD fall into the categories of antidepressant and anxiolytic and are used to alleviate comorbid anxiety and mood symptoms (especially panic and obsessions), but don't treat the dissociative psychopathology. Stabilization of mood may contribute to a more tolerable affective state with DDD.

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