I agree... diagnostic labels can be very destructive. :( And it's another way that sometimes people either get themselves 'stuck' or judge themselves.

There are a couple of tools that may help during depersonalization episodes. Using something hot or something cold may help to bring you back into your body. Some examples of this could be using ice on your wrists, a cold pack anywhere on your body, a heat pack, a hot or cold shower, a cold or hot drink, etc. Another is an essential oil such as orange oil or patchouli (used similarly to the way they used 'smelling salts' to bring someone back from shock). It may be a type of shock that you are experiencing and I would recommend working with a therapist who is skilled in mind-body work (Heart Centered hypnotherapy would be very effective). Mindfulness exercises (look under Buddhist teachings or DBT teachings) would also be very helpful. "Checking out" of our bodies happens when we perceive that the world or our bodies is threatening. It may be that you are also referring to soul fragmentation and a soul retrieval may help you. This would need to be done under the guidance of a trained person. OH... and Yoga would be AWESOME!!!!!!!! for you! Check out a Yoga instructional DVD or attend a class. VERY GOOD way to connect with your body, mind, and spirit!


Mindfulness:

Stay present in the moment (this is a skill that we all need to practice): What does your body feel like in the chair? How do your fingers feel as they strike the keys? Notice... observe and describe (emotions, scenes, people, yourself) without judging. Have a 'Teflon mind' .... let things slide in and out, clinging to nothing and pushing nothing away. Try this with washing dishes, sitting in a nature spot, etc... and try it when negative things come up. Rather than avoiding, let yourself be fully and nonjudgementally present.

Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy:

http://www.wellness-institute.org/home.html
Many blessings~

Copied from a paper I'm procrastinating working on at this moment :) If you are interested, it is relevant:

One of the four modules of DBT is Mindfulness Training. Mindfulness is one of the concepts that Linehan borrowed from Buddhist teachings. Although the practice is quite old, it is a relatively new concept within Western Psychology. Mindfulness or “sati” as Buddhists term it is a state of keen awareness of mental and physical phenomena as they occur. It is a practice of focusing our attention. Mindfulness focuses on bodily sensations, states of mind, and interactions between one’s behavior and the universe. With this training, thoughts and feelings are not ignored, suppressed, analyzed, or judged for content; there is a type of “calm abiding” with one’s current experiences. Mindfulness meditation in Buddhist teachings is thought to achieve self-acceptance (maître). Four aspects of maitre are fostered when mindfulness meditation is practiced: commitment, awareness, willingness to experience emotional distress, and attention to the present moment. Buddhism teaches to see oneself not as good or bad but as part of a changing universe.