Chronic DP/DR on Schizophrenic Scale?

This is my own personal opinion - I haven't any research to back up my claims although I'd like to do my own research into this for a project coming up in my Developmental Psychology class.

So far in the mental health world - DPD & DRD have been classified as a Dissociative Disorder & on that particular scale. But how do people here feel about it possibly being on the Schizophrenic Scale?

My reasoning is that it fully disrupts the connection with concrete reality. Which is the definition of Schizophrenia as a whole - a break from reality. People with Depersonalization/Derealization are prone to strange beliefs that can be described as a delusional break with reality. Such as believing one is in a dream, in a virtual game world, have died & are a ghost, are a floating consciousness or a robotic human going through the motions of life. People with DP/DR can have a tendency (however slight) to go into catatonic symptoms.

People that experience DR specifically cannot connect with their world & therefore there is a definite break from reality. I would say they are more prone to believing they are living in a dream-world or are a ghost. I know that myself have personally believed such a thing & have become suicidal believing that if I died in this dream I would wake up. Is that not dangerously delusional?

I specifically titled this topic as "chronic" DP/DR because those that have it chronicly are more likely to be on the Schizophrenic scale.

What do you guys think about this possibility? If I'm far off the mark - please let me know. But I believe there could be a problem with too much dopamine which creates a visual distortion with those that have chronic Derealization, similar to the over-abundance of dopamine in individuals with Schizophrenia.

My DP/DR is chronic but intermittant. It has been 9mths so far this time, but the degree of DP/DR comes and goes. Yes I have strange thoughts and feelings as you describe above, but I am not and never have been, delusional. I can use reason and logic to work out what is real and what isn't, though that won't stop me thinking or feeling whatever I think or feel. I don't consider myself to be on the schizophrenic scale and my mental health team have told me I'm not psychotic. X

Thanks for your opinion, Kerry.

Seems like we are a bit different then. But that's okay. I guess I'm just looking for others that might have small tendencies towards delusions.

Maybe you've got delusions as a separate issue? Have you got DID? Because I think I have. Maybe having the rest of myselves to talk things through with helps with my reasoning process. I know what you mean about the catatonic state, which I can come very close to. But my mental health team aren't concerned about it, because I'm aware of how I am when I'm like that. X

No - I haven't DID. My therapist says that I could perhaps have traits of early Schizophrenia. It comes & goes however. So - we are not entirely sure. It doesn't seem to have correlation with my Bipolar Disorder. Since my delusions don't seem to have a preference over any mood state. I tend to think that my delusional states are caused by the derealization. Actually - I'm very sure that they are attached. That's why I'm posting this topic. Hmm... It's a difficult topic to figure out.

- EGD.

It's hard trying to work everything out. I'm glad you've got professional help for it though. If schizophrenia is picked up early enough is there anything to be done to halt its progression? Life is so darn hard sometimes. I haven't a clue how to make it work. X