Depersonalization is the experience that one is detached from their own body and experiences. This phenomenon is often described as the feeling that one is looking at themselves from the outside. Depersonalization is the third most common symptom, behind anxiety and depression, which is experienced by those who have experienced a traumatic event such as an accident, injury, assault, or serious illness. In cases where depersonalization is experienced after such an event, the episode will typically last only a short time.