Depersonalisation — when nothing feels real

Have you ever felt like things were not quite real?

That you were no longer connected to your body or didn’t know who you were?

Nathan Dunne felt this way for years. And it’s never quite stopped affecting the way he sees himself or the world around him.

Today, depersonalisation disorder — and what we know about its symptoms, causes and treatments.

And a heads up, this episode discusses heavy topics such as suicide. Please take care while listening.

You can catch up on more episodes of the All in the Mind podcast with journalist and presenter Sana Qadar, exploring the psychology of topics like stress, memory, communication and relationships on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guests:

Nathan DunneAuthor, When Nothing Feels Real

Dr Emma CernisClinical psychologist and researcherAssisant Professor of Clinical PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamCentre Lead, Midlands Dissociation & Depersonalisation Centre

Credits:

• Presenter/Producer: Sana Qadar
• Reporter/Senior Producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound Engineer: Tegan Nicholls

If you enjoyed this episode, you might like:

• Can we trust our memories?
• Memory loss and identity
• Dissociation and coping with trauma
• Depersonalisation — when Nathan lost his sense of self and nothing felt real (Conversations)

More Information:

When Nothing Feels Real - Nathan Dunne

Unreal: Depersonalisation and Derealisation Support

Like being trapped behind a pane of glass – depersonalisation, derealisation disorder explained (The Conversation, 2025)

Depersonalisation-derealisation as a transdiagnostic treatment target: a scoping review of the evidence in anxiety, depression, and psychosis (Frontiers in Psychology, 2025)

The Prevalence of Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder: A Systematic Review (Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2023)

Support resources:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue