What term is used to describe the experience of feeling detached from one's own body?

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The term that describes the experience of feeling detached from one's own body is depersonalization. This phenomenon is characterized by a sense of disconnection from one's thoughts, feelings, and sense of self. Individuals who experience depersonalization may feel as though they are observing themselves from outside their body or feel as if they are living in a dream. This dissociative symptom can occur in various contexts, including as part of anxiety disorders, trauma response, or as a stand-alone condition.

Echopraxia refers to the involuntary repetition or imitation of another person's actions, which is distinct from the sense of self-detachment described by depersonalization. Hallucinations involve perceiving things that are not present in the environment, such as hearing voices or seeing things that do not exist, and are a different experience entirely. Derealization, while related, refers to a feeling of detachment from one’s surroundings rather than from oneself. In derealization, a person feels that their environment is unreal or distorted, which is an important distinction from the detachment experienced in depersonalization.

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