Which condition is characterized by feelings that the world around is unreal?

The condition characterized by feelings that the world around an individual is unreal is depersonalization. This phenomenon involves a sense of detachment from one's own thoughts, feelings, or sense of self, leading to a feeling that the environment is not real or is distorted. Individuals experiencing depersonalization may feel as though they are observing themselves from outside their bodies or as if they are living in a dream, which reflects the core aspect of the disorder.

In contrast, generalized amnesia refers to a loss of memory for personal information and experiences, not necessarily accompanied by feelings of unreality. Dissociative identity disorder involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states, each with its own patterns of perceiving and relating to the world, but it does not primarily focus on the experience of unreality. Selective amnesia is the inability to recall specific events or information, typically related to trauma, rather than an overall sensation of the world feeling unreal.

Understanding depersonalization in the context of dissociative disorders is crucial, as it illustrates the spectrum of dissociative experiences, while differentiating it from other memory-related conditions.