What it is
Detachment describes a subjective sense of separation from oneself, others, or the environment, encompassing depersonalisation, derealisation, and emotional numbing.
Emerging evidence
Detachment
A subjective sense of being separated or cut off from oneself, other people, or the surrounding environment.
CategoryEmotional
Reviewed by Gyfts Editorial Team · Editorial Health Review
26 March 2026
At a glance
Detachment at a glance
Commonly experienced as
- People experiencing persistent detachment often struggle to describe it — it is the absence of normal felt experience rather than a positive symptom. They may feel like they are watching their life from behind glass, moving through the day on autopilot. This can be simultaneously frightening (something is wrong) and oddly stable (the anxiety about normal feelings is also muted).
