A Study of Depersonalisation Neurosis

All 12 cases who received a diagnosis of depersonalisation neurosis over a 6½ year period were studied. The illness was found to occur in young males. It usually took a deteroriating course after starting insidiously. Anxiety, depression and derealisation were common concomitants. Other associated symptoms included deaffectualisation, disturbed sleep and appetite, obsessive ruminations and hypochondriacal preoccupations. An attempt was made to classify the phenomenon of depersonalisation and 7 groups were found. In our cases, better response was obtained when tricyclic antidepressants were tried than when amphetamine was tried. The literature on depersonalisation neurosis is reviewed and discussed in light of our findings.