Dissociation

Dissociation is a psychological process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. Dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalization disorder and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Overview

Dissociation is a mental process, which produces a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity. During the period of time when a person is dissociating, certain information is not associated with other information as it normally would be. For example, during a traumatic experience, a person may dissociate the memory of the place and circumstances of the trauma from his ongoing memory, resulting in a temporary mental escape from the fear and pain of the trauma and, in some cases, a memory gap surrounding the experience. Because this process can produce changes in memory, people who frequently dissociate often find their senses of personal history and identity are affected.

Types of Dissociative Disorders

There are four major Dissociative Disorders: Dissociative Amnesia, Dissociative Fugue, Depersonalization Disorder, and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Dissociative Amnesia

This disorder is characterized by a blocking out of critical personal information. Dissociative amnesia, unlike other types of amnesia, does not result from other medical trauma, such as a blow to the head.

Dissociative Fugue

People with Dissociative Fugue temporarily lose their sense of personal identity and impulsively wander or travel away from their homes or places of work.

Depersonalization Disorder

Individuals with Depersonalization Disorder have a recurring feeling of being detached or disconnected from themselves, observe themselves from an outside view, and experience a sense of unreality.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, this disorder is characterized by "switching" to alternate identities. You may feel the presence of two or more people talking or living inside your head, and you might feel as though you're possessed by other identities.

Causes

Most often, dissociative disorders are triggered by trauma or stress. Dissociation is often thought of as a coping mechanism that a person uses to disconnect from a stressful or traumatic situation, or to separate traumatic memories from normal awareness.

Treatment

Treatment for dissociative disorders often involves psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, and medication. Though finding an effective treatment plan can be difficult, many people are able to live healthy and productive lives.

See Also

• Mental Health
• Psychology
• Psychotherapy
• Cognitive Therapy

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