dereism
Rare / TechnicalAcademic / Clinical Psychology / Psychiatric
Definition
Meaning
A thought process detached from logic and reality; thinking that ignores practical constraints and factual evidence.
In psychology and psychiatry, a pattern of thinking characterized by a retreat from reality and an immersion in fantasy, often associated with certain mental disorders. It represents a cognitive style where internal mental constructs override external reality.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a noun. It denotes a specific cognitive state or process rather than a momentary thought. The concept is closely related to, but distinct from, autism (in its older psychiatric sense) and schizoid thinking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally rare and specialized in both varieties.
Connotations
Clinical, diagnostic, potentially pejorative if used outside a professional context.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency. Almost exclusively found in historical or specialised psychological literature.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
exhibit dereismsuffer from dereismdescend into dereismcharacterised by dereismVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in clinical psychology, psychiatric history, and abnormal psychology texts.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in specific psychiatric models, particularly those derived from early 20th-century thought (e.g., Bleulerian psychiatry).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The patient's dereistic thought processes were carefully documented.
American English
- His conclusions were dismissed as dereistic and ungrounded in evidence.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old psychiatric textbook described a condition where thinking becomes divorced from reality, called dereism.
- Bleuler considered dereism—a detachment from reality and dominance of fantasy—to be a fundamental symptom of schizophrenia.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine someone saying "DEAR, is M... reality?" to a person lost in fantasy. The "DEAR-IS-M" sound links to the word and the idea of prioritizing dear (internal) ideas over what 'is' (reality).
Conceptual Metaphor
THINKING IS A JOURNEY (away from reality); THE MIND IS A RETREAT (from the external world).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "деризм" (non-existent) or relate to "дерево" (tree). The root is Latin 'de' (away from) + 'res' (thing, reality).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'derieism' or 'dereisim'.
- Using it as a synonym for simple daydreaming.
- Pronouncing it /dɛˈriː.ɪzəm/.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'dereism' primarily used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Daydreaming is a common, non-pathological lapse in attention. Dereism is a pathological cognitive state involving a sustained detachment from reality and failure to apply logic.
The term is strongly associated with Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler (1857–1939), who used it in his descriptions of schizophrenia.
Yes, the related adjective is 'dereistic', used to describe thought processes or ideas that exhibit this quality.
No, it is an archaic and rare term. Modern clinical language would use terms like 'reality distortion', 'delusional thinking', or 'impaired reality testing' instead.