Kristina S. Fury, a 2023 graduate of Antioch’s Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology in Seattle, has written and published her dissertation titled, “Does Anyone Else?” The Lived Experience of Writing About Depersonalization on Reddit.
Depersonalization (DP) involves unpleasant episodes of detachment from one’s sense of self or of unreality in the environment. Symptoms include people feeling they are an outside observer of their thoughts, feelings, sensations, body, or actions. DP is a form of dissociation and a common protective response to trauma.
When DP symptoms are misinterpreted either as indicative of severe mental illness or brain dysfunction, a vicious cycle of increasing anxiety and consequently increasing DP symptoms can result. On the clinician side, many without experience with DP might think patients’ descriptions are metaphorical, or they might misinterpret them as psychotic symptoms. Resulting misdiagnoses can lead to ineffectual treatment and prolonged distress.
Fury’s dissertation examines the trend of people seeking mental health-related information online. A prime place for sharing such experiences is Reddit, a social media platform. Through thematic analysis of Reddit posts, this dissertation identifies themes that inform mental health professionals about people’s lived experiences with DP symptoms and suggest new questions to ask that lead to more accurate diagnoses.
Fury is a double Antioch alum, having received a master’s degree at the Santa Barbara campus in 2016.
Read and download Fury’s dissertation, “Does Anyone Else?” The Lived Experience of Writing About Depersonalization on Reddit here.
