Complete depersonalization
It is clear that this unconscious partial depersonalization is the reason for the complaint and the suffering in the pathological condition, as Reber described in his Dictionary of Psychology, “feelings of strangeness and unreality of experience. In severe cases, parts of one’s body feel alien or altered in size and one may have the experience of perceiving oneself from a distance.” (The Bolds are mine, in order to draw attention to the personalized subject, and the depersonalized object).Complete depersonalization consciously executed results in freedom from worry and fear because such depersonalization frees one from the “notion of self,” which is responsible for all worries and fears. The self- centered mind is always unhappy while the selfless mind is always happy. It is because people prefer to hold on to the "personality perspective" rather than let it go, that they continue to suffer from personality disorders. The few individuals who learn to consciously let go of the “self consciousness” gain freedom from mental sickness and suffering.
Although letting go of the “self identity” sounds like an impossible or at least a very difficult task, it can be achieved. The Buddha did it, and so did all his enlightened disciples. It is what all Buddhists attempt to do in their practice. It involves a sacrifice of what one cherishes most, the feeling of "being." The people who feel their "self" crushed or rejected are the people who hesitate most to let go, they hang on to their “self" and are very defensive. Yet their freedom lies only in letting go of this false "self." This “self" has to be seen as a burden that we are carrying all the time. Freedom is found by letting go of the burden. In Buddhism, this letting go of the "self" is called "laying down the burden." Probably this was what Jesus meant when he said, "Come unto me those who are heavy laden, and I shall give you rest."
The Buddha not only saw that this “self identity” has to be eradicated from our thoughts, feelings and behaviour, but he also discovered the technique of doing so. This technique is what He taught as the Supernormal Eight-fold Way (ariya atthangika magga), the eight constituents of which are as follows:
1. Harmonious perspective
2. Harmonious orientation
3. Harmonious speech
4. Harmonious action
5. Harmonious life style
6. Harmonious practice
7. Harmonious attention
8. Harmonious equilibrium
This technique begins with the Harmonious Perspective, which is a perspective free of self-centred or selfish thinking, where self-consciousness disappears, because it is not supported by self-centred emotions. Such a mind is calm and tranquil, free of conflict both internal and external. It is also kind and compassionate, thinking of “all” instead of “I” and “you.” This is a paradigm shift within a person, which brings about peace and harmony within and without.