# Massage Therapy Case Study on Depersonalization Disorder



## Guest (Oct 4, 2014)

I am in Massage Therapy College right now. For my Case Study in Pathology 1 class, I chose Depersonalization Disorder. First of all I recommend Massage Therapy as a way to connect to your body, find grounding and reduce stress from DP/DR. Here's my report:

​*Case Report*​*for*​*Pathology 1*​*on*​*-Depersonalization-*​​Abstract​​In this Case Study for Depersonalization Disorder we will​​investigate as to how Massage Therapy Bodywork might affect​​dissociative symptoms. Depersonalization can make one feel out of​​their body. We will find that Massage can and does provide grounding​​for those afflicted with Depersonalization Disorder.​
Introduction​
My case report for Pathology 1 is on Depersonalization​​Disorder. Depersonalization Disorder is a form of dissociation. Most​​people feel it once or twice some time in their lifetime. When​​Depersonalization becomes chronic is when it's classified as a​​Disorder. Depersonalization is a very disturbing experience to go​​through.​​Depersonalization, or DP, is a debilitating sensation and state​​of mind. The symptoms of DP include 1) Feeling outside of one's​​body 2) Feeling that one's own limbs are detached 3) Being in a​​constant state of anxiety and or panic attacks 4) Having a "Blank​​Mind" 5) Feeling that one's personality has disappeared 6)​​Obsessing over Philosophically Existential Questions about Reality.​​DP also can come with Derealization, or DR, which is feeling that​​the World is Unreal, and can even look Cartoony.​​The exact cause and reason for DP becoming a Constant has​​evaded researchers. And in fact, Depersonalization is the third most​​common psychological negative experience next to Depression and​​Anxiety. Many people have and most will experience DP in their​​lifetime. It is the "Fight or Flight" Protective Mechanism felt​​during/after a car accident or traumatic event. Drugs can alter a​​person's perception to become dissociated, for a time, as well.​​However for some, after a traumatic event or excessive stress​​coupled with anxiety and or panic attacks and "bad trips" on illegal​​substances can trigger an episode of DP that simply doesn't fade​​away, this is when DP becomes DPD - Depersonalization Disorder.​​This condition can and does persist and last for years and years,​​defying explanation. Unfortunately there is no current pill for DPD.​​However anti-anxiety medications, benzodiazepines, can provide​​relief, at the cost of becoming dependent, where later withdrawal​​can and will exacerbate the feelings of Unreality.​​Many in the fields of psychology, therapy and psychiatry are​​still unaware of the prevalence and widespread undiagnosed or​​misdiagnosed numbers of people out there suffering with DPD. In​​most cases, the dissociation of DPD happens in an instant. One​​might take a hit of marijuana and suddenly becoming dissociated​​from one's body, mind and spirit. Then going to sleep, this person​​will believe it's part of the High, and they'll think that they will feel​​normal again in the morning. Only to wake up and discover it hasn't​​gone away. And the feelings of depersonalization and derealization can​​linger for days, months, years and even decades which is often the case​​before the disorder fades completely.​​DPD is always a cause of suffering in a person's life. For many it is​​like having a splinter one's mind that simply cannot be removed or​​ignored. It's a debilitating disorder which is constantly in the sufferer's​​mind and makes concentration, focus and peace of mind a far away​​goal. Many of those with DPD have looked for relief and recovery, with​​no avail. It seems to be something that one just has to endure until in​​time it goes away on it's own accord, just as it came for most, out of the​​blue.​
Objective​​My objective is to alleviate and diminish some of the symptoms of​​Depersonalization Disorder. Providing a grounding effect through​​Bodywork Massage Therapy, granting those with DPD an opportunity to​​feel their bodies being worked on for an hour. Over many sessions, the​​sufferer of DPD should begin to feel more in their body. What I am​​wanting to show is that bodywork is effective for those with​​dissociative symptoms, but not a cure all, while still being a successful​​treatment for those who suffer with DPD.​​While physical modalities will be the focus of this case study, I'm​​not ruling out the possibility of energetic modalities providing ease of​​suffering. The primary goal is to achieve a certain level of physical​​body awareness in the client. Energetic work could help support any​​emotional or spiritual releases that a Depersonalized Person may​​require, though the aim of this study is to support mainly the physical,​​and possibly also emotional/spiritual as well through physical​​bodywork.​
Hypothesis​​The Hypothesis of this case study is that the dissociative​​symptoms of Depersonalization Disorder will be lessened through​​regular sessions of Massage Therapy. The client will gain a fair amount​​of bodily awareness throughout the treatment sessions. This increased​​body awareness could even help pave the client's way to recovery from​​DPD, or dissociative symptoms in general.​​During and after a massage, the client will likely feel more in their​​body. This will ease quite a lot off the mind of the person with DPD.​​This will most likely take away much of their stress, providing mental​​clarity as well. Emotionally & spiritually they will also feel more at​​peace with.​​Regular Massage combined with other factors such as good diet,​​exercise and abstinence from harmful habits and addictions, the client​​could be setting up a great path towards overcoming this disorder. And​​perhaps more importantly, the client before, during and after​​recovering from DPD will have laid the foundation for a healthy and​​successful life. Because a person isn't defined by a label, but how they​​choose to live despite the disorder, or not.​
Methods​Client Profile & Treatment Plan​​The client here is the student writing this Case Study. I have been​​experiencing Depersonalization Disorder for over 11 years now. I am a​​27 year old male, and am in good health physically. I will be having​​regular Bodywork sessions done and keeping track on how this​​treatment will be effecting the sensations of feeling out of body.​​Since I was 16 I've felt dissociated from my body. This has been​​literally non-stop ever since. While in High School I struggled to​​graduate due to the symptoms effecting my abilities of concentration.​​Before I had DPD, things were no problem for me. And since I've had​​DPD, even the small things are a constant struggle. I feel out of my body​​24/7 and it is in it's own way very much a painful experience.​​Overall I'd say I'm quite healthy despite the disorder. I do have​​several bad habits that I'd obviously be better without, such as​​smoking tobacco. I get regular exercise and have great blood pressure​​readings.​​I will be receiving regular massage, both in and out of school that​​will give me an idea of how bodywork effects the symptoms of​​dissociation. Both Swedish Massage and Shiatsu will be the modalities​​involved in the treatment plan. Having already had sessions in and out​​of school, I can safely say already that Bodywork most certainly does​​have positive influence over the out of body sensations.​​Results​
The Results of this Case Study were a Success. Through Bodywork​​I have gained a greater awareness of being a physical body. The​​treatment of massage for my dissociative symptoms is ongoing. I will be​​recommending massage to all with DPD.​​Hands on massage therapy helps to directly ground one into their​​body. Not only receiving massage, but giving massage as well and​​working with one's hands in general also has a lasting benefit of​​grounding into one's body.​​Massage is most definitely an effective treatment for some of the​​symptoms for DPD. In fact this is one of the reasons I wanted to get into​​this field. And I began noticing changes in my awareness and those​​dissociative symptoms of DPD, since the very beginning of being in​​Massage School. Not only the fact that massage brings one to be​​attentive of their physicality, also building Character and developing as​​an Individual, has been received through the process of School. I​​recommend massage for everyone, in some form or another. There is​​definitely something about Therapeutic Touch, this cannot be said​​enough.​​Discussion​
While Massage Therapy is a booming industry, I feel that there is​​definitely a very long way to go still. As far as Bodywork goes for​​Depersonalization Disorder, there is definitely room for research.​​Though it is quite a matter of common sense that such a treatment​​would be beneficial for those feeling outside or detached from their​​bodies, or even feeling "too much in their heads". And I feel that for​​anyone, massage being a great thing is an obvious thing. I find that it's​​the simple things that are right in front of us that hold the most​​relevance to our lives. And it is the simple things in life that provide the​​most healthy pleasure, massage being one of those simple things. And​​for someone who feels that life has been stripped of meaning with DPD​​in it's place, simple things such as massage are where one finds solace.​


----------

