I wonder if we all dont have bouts of this, but since it doesnt affect our lives negatively or not all that much it's not classified as a disorder. (Most mental disorders have to have a crippling negative effect that hinders normal functions for it to be classified as such.) For all I know from my own experience , I can sometimes look in a mirror and get the idea that Im looking at both the image in the mirror and outside of the real person standing there wondering at it as the feeling of existance. Or when someone calls my name, I can think that the sound quantifies someone and dont connect it with myself. It doesnt happen all that often, but I think it's part of the human experience. But what do i know? I love these images and get how it must be to live with this disorder. Keep working throught it!

I think a lot of people have this and get diagnosed with generalized anxiety instead because they don't know how to describe any of this to their doctor.

Your string metaphor is pretty much like a Korean idiom that might literally translate as "the rope/string of sanity" (정신줄). And the way this idiom is used within conversation could be very well summed up by the last frame of your comic. I find this interesting. (Additional info: there is a cartoon series based off the web comic which was inspired by this way of saying, the title is 놓지마 정신줄 )

This sounds like such a battle! I hope you can get thru it. I remember one day (this is the only time it's ever happened, it was super random) I spent the entire day feeling like I was stuck in a dream where time just stopped. Then I started to feel like I was watching myself do everything. It was the weirdest and most uncomfortable thing, and I can't imagine going they something similar every day. Thanks for sharing ur experience.

Very familiar. I suffer from a whole lot of everything, which mostly manifests itself as agoraphobia, OCD, and anxiety type symptoms. Depersonalization only happens when I'm not doing too well, almost as if my mind is trying to escape itself. I am suddenly very aware that I'm (for example) in a supermarket, in my city, in my country, on the planet, going through space, which makes me feel very small and insignificant. It can happen at any time, when my brain has just decided it's had enough for the day. Fortunately, my medication helps a lot! Thank you for sharing, you're not alone!

I experienced this feeling once when I was kid and had a really high fever, but never knew some people felt like this constantly. Thanks for sharing this with us. Hang in there! ;)

I also have Dpdr and I would say it's like that sometimes for me, sometimes I suffer from "pure" hallucinations like visual or sound. Sometimes other senses are affected, like the sense of gravity, smell, taste or I can even loose my sight completely a short while. Sometimes it's everything at once. But most awful is when I become catatonic and can't move or communicate at all.

I have never heard someone describe how I see myself and how I am in the world. I have always said, "I feel like I am watching myself interact with people from the outside". Almost like watching a movie.

I don't understand the comics.

This is good :) Its good to educate

as also someone who deals with DPDR I can confirm that it is incredibly crippling and hard to live with. as an artist, I can also say that your art looks super cute and I love it so much. you've captured DPDR so well.

Hi I didn’t know how I could message you , but I’ve been suffering from this for almost 2 years now . I didn’t know what it was , thought I was going crazy , it took me a bit to find out what it was that I was experiencing. Nothing is helping it stop :(

I have a medical marijuana card for my major depressive disorder, anxiety and PTSD. Yes everyone is different but I would be careful about making bold statement about the effects of marijuana since you could be accidentally misleading someone with depression/anxiety who might actually benefit from alternative medicine. Also, for a mental health concern like DPDR, depression etc. any drug, not just marijuana, could have serious consequences for the individuals mental well being. Highlighting one potential trigger and ignoring others to a crowd that might not be aware of the condition can be dangerous.

Thanks for explaining it in such beautiful and adorable way!

Is this similar to disassociative disorder?

I have severe dpdr and it's so scary. I become super aware of how real things are and I have a hard time understanding the nature of existence. The fact that I am alive and a human and that I am experiencing life and that others are also experiencing me... its all so weird and it's terrifying

I have been suffering from dpdr for 10 years now and this is the closest thing to express how it feels

I have it 24/7 too but it does seem to be unnoticed during things like a really good video game

my sister and i had this a lot when we were in high school. we called it "film", because it feels like you're watching your life as a movie. also, your emotions don't feel "real", and your mind is clear but you're still perceiving everything through an invisible veil. it felt quite uncomfortable, though thankfully not to the point where it resulted in a panic attack. i think it can definitely be triggered by stress. thankfully, i don't really get it anymore now that i'm in college. oh, and often it could be triggered just by someone mentioning it. "hey julia, you know what? film."

I'm not an introvert, but I do like cuddles and recognise everything. Can I join?

Everyone have their own inside-struggle including myself.. Low self-esteem, thought of suicide, though of using drug, thought of become atheist, etc.. My cure is to found a person that I care and she care me then marry.. This is at least work for myself..

Sounds like normal life, some folks just learn to deal with it.

This sounds like the most made up 'excuse' condition ive ever heard of

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So confused I don't think I have a better understanding of this at all. Seems to me this person needs weed or something, chill out. I think we as a society (especially Europe) are way too reliant on diagnoses to have some sort of condition when in fact you're just depressed, anxious or need some order in your life. But it's so much easier to say I have x condition and not have to be held accountable for anything.