Which of the following refers to the experience of feeling detached from the external world?

Derealization is correctly identified as the experience of feeling detached from the external world. Individuals experiencing derealization perceive their surroundings as unreal, distorted, or dreamlike, leading to a disconnection from what they typically understand as reality. This phenomenon can occur in various contexts, including anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychiatric conditions.

In contrast, delusions are false beliefs that are firmly held despite evidence to the contrary, typically involving a misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences. Illusions involve misinterpretations of real external stimuli—where an object might be perceived incorrectly but is still grounded in reality. Hallucinations involve sensory experiences that occur in the absence of external stimuli, such as hearing voices or seeing things that are not there. These concepts differ fundamentally from the experience of derealization, which specifically pertains to the perception of the external world rather than internal beliefs or sensory distortions.