What is depersonalization?

Depersonalization is when you feel like you're watching yourself from outside, like you're not really you anymore.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite toy, let's say it's a teddy bear. You're sitting on the floor, holding it, and suddenly you look up, and it feels like you're seeing yourself from above, like you're floating in the air, watching everything happen. That’s depersonalization, it’s like you’re still there, but you’re not really feeling like you are.

Sometimes, depersonalization is like when you're watching a movie and you press "pause." You're still in the room, still sitting there, but everything feels far away, almost like it's not real. It’s like your brain took a break from being fully you for a little while.

It can happen when you’re really tired, stressed, or excited. Your brain is busy with all the feelings and thoughts, so it kind of steps back to take a breath, and that's when you feel like you're not quite you anymore. But don't worry, it’s just your brain taking a little vacation!