How To Diagnose DPDR And Reclaim Clarity
The diagnosis of DPDR is often based on a detailed description of the symptoms and their impact on daily life. It is important to understand that such sensations can also occur in the context of other psychological or physical stressors and do not always represent a distinct disorder. On our website, you can take two scientifically validated tests that can help you better understand whether you are experiencing symptoms of depersonalization or derealization. These tests do not replace a professional diagnosis, but they can provide initial insights into your experiences and help you plan the next steps.
Depersonalization Severity Scale
Answer each question based on your personal experiences over the last 4 weeks. The questions relate to the frequency and intensity of depersonalization and derealization in your daily life.
Scale for each question:
- 0 = Not present
- 1 = Rarely and with low or moderate intensity, or more often but with low intensity
- 2 = Rarely, but with high intensity; frequently, but only moderate intensity; persistent, but with low intensity
- 3 = Frequently with strong intensity, persistent with moderate or strong intensity
Summing the scores: Add up the values you assign to each question.
Interpreting the results:
If you rate any question as moderate or severe, it is likely that you have a DPDR disorder. Use the total score to decide whether you need to seek professional help. A higher score indicates more severe symptoms, which may require more detailed diagnostic evaluation and treatment.
Questions
- Have you ever felt as if you were standing beside yourself or observing yourself, as if you were watching another person or watching a movie about yourself?
- Have you ever felt as if your whole body or parts of your body were somehow detached from you or didn’t belong to you?
- Have you ever felt unreal, or have you ever felt strange or foreign to yourself?
- Have you ever looked in the mirror and experienced a sense of detachment from your own image?
- Have you ever felt as if you were in a dream, or had the impression of being completely disconnected from your movements?
- Have you ever felt as if your words, voice, movements, or behavior somehow didn’t come from you, or as if they were happening independently from you?
- Have you ever had the impression that the environment or other people seemed unreal or strangely foreign to you?
Professional Help
If you feel that you may be affected by Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder and your symptoms are impacting your daily life, it may be helpful to seek professional support.
Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale
The Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (CDS) is a scientifically developed tool for assessing and evaluating depersonalization and derealization experiences. These symptoms describe states in which a person feels detached from themselves or their surroundings. The CDS was designed to help both individuals affected by these experiences and professionals better understand the frequency and intensity of these episodes.
Interpretation Note for the Cambridge Depersonalisation Scale (CDS):
The total score is calculated by summing the frequency and duration of items 1–29. The total score can range from 0 to 290. If you have a total score of ≥ 65, it may indicate the presence of DPDR Disorder.
