Intro to Psychology
Dissociative disorders disrupt memory, awareness, and identity, often triggered by trauma or extreme stress. These conditions can profoundly impact daily life, causing disconnection between thoughts and consciousness. They range from memory loss to feeling detached from oneself or surroundings.
Types include dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/derealization disorder, and dissociative identity disorder (DID). While causes are linked to severe childhood trauma, DID remains controversial. Some question its validity, worry about misdiagnosis, and debate treatment approaches.
Dissociative Disorders
Core Features
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Dissociative Identity Disorder Signs, Symptoms and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria View original
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Dissociative Disorders symptoms and DSM-5 and ICD-10 diagnoses View original
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Dissociative Identity Disorder Signs, Symptoms and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria View original
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Dissociative Identity Disorder Signs, Symptoms and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria View original
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Dissociative Disorders symptoms and DSM-5 and ICD-10 diagnoses View original
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- Disruption or breakdown of memory, awareness, identity, or perception
- Disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory
- Triggered as a way of coping with trauma or overwhelming stress (childhood abuse, natural disasters, war)
- Symptoms can be short-term or long-term significantly impacting daily functioning (relationships, work, self-care)
Types
- Dissociative amnesia
- Inability to recall important autobiographical information usually of a traumatic or stressful nature (sexual abuse, combat experiences)
- Memory loss more extensive than normal forgetfulness not attributed to other medical conditions (head injury, substance abuse)
- Localized (event-specific), selective (partial memory loss), or generalized (complete loss of identity and life history)
- Depersonalization/derealization disorder
- Persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from one's mental processes or body (feeling like an outside observer, emotional numbness)
- Persistent or recurrent experiences of unreality of surroundings (world feels dreamlike, artificial, or distorted)
- Reality testing remains intact individual aware experiences are not real
- Causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
- Dissociative identity disorder (DID)
- Presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities (alters)
- Each identity may have its own name, personal history, and characteristics including differences in voice, gender, mannerisms, and physical qualities
- Identities recurrently take control of the individual's behavior accompanied by inability to recall important personal information
- Causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
Causes and Controversies of DID
- Potential causes
- Severe and prolonged childhood trauma (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse)
- Traumatic experiences may lead to fragmentation of identity as a coping mechanism
- Genetic and biological factors may contribute to an individual's vulnerability to developing DID
- Controversies
- Validity of diagnosis questioned by some mental health professionals
- Concerns about over-diagnosis or misdiagnosis particularly when suggestive therapeutic techniques used
- Debate about accuracy of recovered memories of trauma in individuals with DID
- Some argue DID is a culturally-bound syndrome with higher rates of diagnosis in North America
- Disagreement about effectiveness of various treatment approaches for DID (psychotherapy, medication, hypnosis)
Key Terms to Review (18)
Sigmund Freud: Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst. His ideas and theories had a profound impact on the development of psychology, particularly in the areas of personality, the unconscious mind, and the treatment of mental disorders.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the interplay between an individual's thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. It aims to help people identify and change negative or maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors to improve their overall mental health and well-being.
Dissociation: Dissociation is a mental process that involves a detachment from one's thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity. It is a common experience that can range from mild daydreaming to more severe forms associated with certain mental health conditions. Dissociation is a key concept in understanding both altered states of consciousness and dissociative disorders.
Depersonalization: Depersonalization is a dissociative state in which an individual experiences a sense of detachment or disconnection from their own thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, often feeling like they are observing themselves from outside their body. This dissociative experience can be a response to stress, trauma, or other psychological factors.
American Psychiatric Association: The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States. It plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and classification of psychological disorders, as well as in the development of treatment guidelines and standards of care.
Dissociative Amnesia: Dissociative amnesia is a mental health condition characterized by the inability to recall personal information, usually associated with a stressful or traumatic event. It is a type of dissociative disorder that involves a disruption in a person's sense of identity, memory, and/or consciousness, often as a coping mechanism in response to overwhelming experiences.
Dissociative Disorders: Dissociative disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by a disconnection or lack of continuity between a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, and sense of identity. These disorders involve disruptions in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment.
Identity Fragmentation: Identity fragmentation refers to the breakdown or disruption of an individual's sense of self or personal identity. It is a key concept in the understanding of dissociative disorders, where an individual may experience a lack of integration or coherence in their sense of identity, often leading to the development of distinct personality states or alter egos.
Dissociative Identity Disorder: Dissociative identity disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder, is a complex mental health condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct and relatively enduring personality states or identities within an individual. These different identities can have their own patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self.
Fugue State: A fugue state is a dissociative disorder characterized by a temporary, sudden, and unexpected episode of amnesia, during which an individual may wander or travel away from their normal environment, often accompanied by a loss of personal identity and the assumption of a new one. This state of dissociation is typically triggered by a stressful or traumatic event.
Trauma: Trauma refers to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, often resulting in long-lasting emotional, psychological, and physical effects. This term is particularly relevant in the context of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Dissociative Disorders, as these conditions are characterized by the aftermath of traumatic events.
Derealization: Derealization is a dissociative disorder characterized by a persistent or recurrent feeling that one's environment is unreal, strange, or dreamlike. Individuals experiencing derealization often feel detached from their surroundings, as if the world around them is not genuine or lacks a sense of familiarity.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder, is a complex mental health condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct and relatively enduring personality states or identities within an individual. These identities can have their own unique patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self.
Malingering: Malingering refers to the intentional fabrication or exaggeration of physical or psychological symptoms for the purpose of obtaining some external benefit, such as avoiding work, obtaining compensation, or evading criminal prosecution.
Psychodynamic Approach: The psychodynamic approach is a psychological perspective that emphasizes the importance of the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences in shaping an individual's personality and behavior. This approach focuses on how an individual's internal psychological processes, such as desires, conflicts, and motivations, influence their actions and mental states.
Pierre Janet: Pierre Janet was a pioneering French psychologist and psychotherapist who made significant contributions to the understanding of dissociative disorders. He is considered one of the founders of the modern concept of dissociation and its role in psychological trauma and mental health.
Dissociative Continuum: The dissociative continuum refers to the range of dissociative experiences, from mild and common forms of dissociation to more severe and pathological dissociative disorders. Dissociation is a mental process that involves a detachment from one's thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity, which can occur on a spectrum of severity.
Compartmentalization: Compartmentalization refers to the psychological process of isolating different aspects of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences into distinct, separate categories or 'compartments' within the mind. This mechanism allows individuals to maintain a sense of coherence and functionality by avoiding the integration or interference of conflicting or distressing mental contents.