Considering Mrs. Spinner’s symptoms, and the diagnostic criteria provided in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-S), she meets criteria for depersonalization/derealization disorder.
Depersonalization/derealization disorder is characterized by the presence of persistent or recurrent experiences of depersonalization, derealization, or both (Criterion A). Individuals experiencing depersonalization may have feelings of unreality, detachment, or as if they were being an outside observer of their own thoughts, feelings, sensations, body, or actions (p. ). Similarly, symptoms of derealization may include feelings of unreality or detachment; however, this feelings should be experienced with respect to the individual’s direct surroundings, where objects can be experienced as unreal, dreamlike, foggy, lifeless, or visual distorted (p. ). In the case of Mrs. Spinner, she clearly presents both depersonalization and derealization symptoms.…