It can sometimes feel like we’re living in a world where everyone sees the two faces, and trying to explain the candlestick to others, when you seem to be the only one experiencing its existence, is both difficult and frustrating.

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.