Depersonalisation Disorder (DPD). A short film
Bristol musician Joe Perkins has suffered from Depersonalisation Disorder (DPD) for over a decade. Once described as, “The most common mental illness you’ve never heard of,” it leaves you feeling as if you’re constantly dreaming, or permanently drunk, and completely detached from both yourself and your sense of reality. With awareness in medical circles being very low – resulting in an average diagnosis time of 7-12 years – only one clinic in the UK actively treats it (within the Maudsley Hospital in London) Referrals are notoriously difficult, and even then the waiting list for treatment is incredibly long. Putting experiences of DPD into words is very difficult and sufferers rely on vague metaphors to help their loved ones relate to how they experience the world. To help with this, and to raise awareness of the condition, Joe has produced this short film highlighting what life is like living with chronic DPD. https://youtu.be/Lx3iPmDVEms