A few years ago, I would have given a much less measured explanation: one with frustration; longing for the world I no longer felt I could touch. Or, I would have just said I was tired!

Since DPDR replaces one’s awareness with a subjective state of unreality, finding a description meaningful to a non-sufferer is elusively difficult. I respect others also enduring and navigating DPDR. My path has included misdiagnosis and being misunderstood. I had to go to a library to discover that I had depersonalisation. Later, I reached the Depersonalisation Unit in London.

Two and a half years ago I had never heard of DPDR. That all changed when I received an email from the Chair of Unreal looking for an accountant to join the charity as a Trustee to help on the finance side and other corporate issues. In essence, the boring stuff – my area of expertise!

My name is Ashley, and I have been suffering with derealisation disorder for 3 years now and only recently got diagnosed this year. It was really hard trying to find out what was wrong with me because everyone I spoke to didn’t really know what it was - until I found out about the Maudsley Hospital, which then I had to get in touch with myself and got an assessment.