depersonalization

American  

[dee-pur-suh-nl-uh-zey-shuhn] / diˌpɜr sə nl əˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of depersonalizing.

2. the state of being depersonalized.

3. Psychiatry. a state in which one no longer perceives the reality of one's self or one's environment.

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depersonalization British  

/ dɪˌpɜːsnəlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of depersonalizing

2. psychiatry an abnormal state of consciousness in which the subject feels unreal and detached from himself and the world

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Etymology

Origin of depersonalization

First recorded in 1905–10; depersonalize + -ation

Example Sentences

“I have had this horrible Depersonalization go on in my life for almost 2 years,” a 2011 post said.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 17, 2023

Depersonalization, which is also referred to as cynicism, is “a hostile, take-this-job-and-shove-it attitude,” and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment means, well, exactly that.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 5, 2021

Zinnia Jones: Depersonalization symptoms were something I’d always experienced, and pretty intensely.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2018

Depersonalization can also be pathological, sometimes linked to epilepsy, and can last for minutes or even hours.

From Nature • Aug. 4, 2015

Depersonalization is taking all the human meaning out of our daily life.

From Time Magazine Archive