Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

What is the term used to describe the belief that one's self or body is strange or unreal?

1. Depersonalization

2. Delusion

3. Derealization

4. Identity crisis

The correct answer is: Depersonalization

The belief that one's self or body feels strange or unreal is referred to as depersonalization. This phenomenon involves a sense of detachment from one’s own body or mental processes, leading the individual to feel as though they are observing themselves from outside their body or experiencing their thoughts and feelings as if they are not their own. This can occur in the context of various psychological conditions and is often accompanied by feelings of anxiety or dysphoria. In contrast, the other terms relate to different experiences. Delusion refers to a firmly held false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation, which doesn't specifically encompass the feeling of estrangement from oneself. Derealization, while similar in some ways, refers to a feeling that the external world is unreal or distorted, rather than a disconnection from one's own self. An identity crisis involves a conflict in the development of a personal identity, often during transitional phases in life, which doesn't directly address the sensations of unreality or strangeness toward oneself.