(NewsNation) — Following news that “Saturday Night Live” actor Bowen Yang is taking a hiatus from his podcast to prioritize his mental health and shared he’s battling “bad bouts of depersonalization,” medical experts are educating the public about the disorder.

Depersonalization-derealization disorder involves experiencing persistent or recurring feelings of observing oneself from outside the body or perceiving the surroundings as unreal — these sensations can be unsettling, resembling a dream-like state, according to Mayo Clinic.

“It can be very scary because one who is suffering from this condition can feel like their life is like watching a movie from the outside, that their memories are not their own, and that they feel almost robotic, and they’re not even in charge of what they say,” explained psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig.

Ludwig highlighted how individuals experiencing the disorder may face overwhelming, excessive and disruptive feelings that interfere with their daily lives.

“Fortunately, there are treatments that people can engage in that help reduce the symptoms so that one can go back to their regular life and feel more attached to their own body, in their own mind,” Ludwig said.

According to Mayo Clinic, other symptoms include feeling emotional or physical numbness of sense or responses, the sense that your body, legs or arms appear distorted, enlarged or shrunken, or that your head is wrapped in cotton.

In some cases, episodes may last hours, days, weeks or even months at a time. Some people’s episodes turn into ongoing feelings of depersonalization or derealization that may periodically get better or worse, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Ludwig said research shows 74% of people may have a certain symptom of the disease, but what qualifies as having the disorder is that it is persistent and reoccurring, which is why she said it feels “so disruptive to one’s life.”

The exact cause of the disorder isn’t well understood, according to Mayo Clinic.

Ludwig said symptoms can be bought on by, “trauma or intense stress, sometimes a lack of sleep, of course, certain people are genetically predisposed to have this type of out-of-body experience.”

She explained that psychotherapy and certain medication management can be successful in terms of reducing the symptoms.

“When someone is in this depersonalized state, not to overly obsess about the uncomfortable symptoms they’re noticing, and connect yourself to your five senses, what’s around you, like touching something cold, listening to music, journaling, all of those things that help reconnect you with oneself,” Ludwig explained. “So sometimes you need to take yourself out of your everyday life in order to get well and strong and healthy.”

Medical experts recommend consulting a doctor if you have such feelings that are emotionally disruptive, persistent and interfere with your daily life, work or relationships.

“Talk to somebody that you trust, get yourself into treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy is highly effective. Talk therapy is highly effective,” Ludwig said. “There are treatments that are very successful, so nobody has to live with these uncomfortable symptoms and take themselves out of feeling connected.”