It has also been found that those for individualistic societies may be more ‘self-absorbed’ which may be linked to sensitivity to threat, feelings of alienation and loss of control.
The rise in reports of DPD in the west may also be due to the widespread use of illicit drugs, which are fairly easy to obtain. The experimentation with drugs in the west is reoccurring amongst many people in the west.
Today’s culture of online interaction may also contribute to a blurring of reality, particularly in young people who spend many hours online, with online communication being a regular way of interacting with others. The Internet allows people to be anyone at anytime.
The media’s obsession with celebrity and their lifestyles may send the message that fame and fortune are admirable in and of themselves. If you are not a celebrity and do not possess the lifestyle, you are nobody, one might conclude. With the rise of social networking and competition amongst people to gain popularity, it is easy for people to be open to scrutiny.
So where does the individualistic self fit in?
While these scenarios of the online world and the media, may be experiences of modern day alienation and may not be directly linked to depersonalization as a syndrome. They do raise questions about the influences they project on the individual self and how the individual self adjusts to the culture in which it must function.
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A sufferer of chronic DPD from online forum dpselfhelp.com highlights the relation between DPD and the modern day interactive world of the internet.
"Depersonalization really opens you up to see a lot of deeper meaning to life an otherwise more superficial mind would overlook throughout the years. I feel a closer bond with the universe itself having pushed through this looking for answers.
I feel like when I'm not depersonalized, I've seen both sides of living present and living almost existentially in the essence of life itself. It feels like our society contributes a lot to depersonalization right now because of all the "escaping reality" activities like 24/7 television programming, video games, etc.
Don't get me wrong, some creative escape is great - but we mustn't forget to live in the sunshine and breathe in "our" reality as well. What also helps is backing off from any pleasure vices in life and trying to have more balance between healthy brain stimulating/developing/healing activities."