Examining the association between depersonalisation traits and the bodily self in waking and dreaming.
Scientific reports March 13, 2024 Matt P D Gwyther, Bigna Lenggenhager, Jennifer M Windt et al. 3 citations
People with stronger depersonalisation traits—feeling detached from their own body—report more frequent dreams from an outside-observer perspective and more dreams with distinct or altered bodily sensations, along with more nightmares and higher dream recall. They also show weaker body boundaries and less trust in internal bodily signals while awake. These findings suggest that dreaming does not provide a temporary escape from depersonalisation symptoms; instead, the dream state mirrors the waking disruptions in sense of self and body.