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Depersonalization and derealization (DPDR) can feel like not recognizing yourself in the mirror, or like living behind a pane of glass. This week, clinical psychologist Dr. Claudia Hallett joins us. She leads a specialist DPDR clinic in London and works with this condition full time.
We talk about why the experience is so hard to describe, and why that makes it fertile ground for catastrophic interpretation (“I’m losing my mind,” “I’ve broken my brain”). We get into how fear of the symptom keeps it front and center, the OCD-style loops of checking and monitoring that often sit underneath, and why some people experience it episodically while others have lived with it for decades. We also cover why DPDR is so often missed or misdiagnosed, what the word “disorder” does and doesn’t mean, and when a trauma explanation fits and when searching for one becomes part of the problem. Dr. Hallett also explains why there is no “just follow these steps” fix, and why anyone selling one deserves scrutiny.
To find Dr Claudia Hallet online:
Instagram
Website
Unreal Charity - DPDR Support and Resources
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Disclaimer: Disordered is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to Disordered does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the hosts or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.
