Depersonalization (DP) is defined as an experience in which the individual feels a sense of unreality and detachment from himself/ herself and is often associated with derealization (DR), which consists of an alteration in the perception of one's surroundings so that sense of the reality of the external word is lost (APA, 2000). DP has been considered as a nonspecific response to stress and a number of authors have pointed out that DP symptoms in panic disorder may be associated with an early age at onset of the disease, and rapid development of avoidance behaviors add severe agoraphobia (Cassano et al., 1980; Marquez et al., 2001; Mula et al., 2007) and high rates in mood-anxiety comorbidity (Ball et al., 1997). DP may occur in healthy individuals, often under conditions of stress, fatigue, drug use, or sleep deprivation, and has been described in a number of psychiatric conditions especially panic disorder, major depression, and bipolar disorder (Hunter et al., 2004).
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