DISSOCIATIVE DISORDER
Dissociative disorders are mental health issues marked by a break in the connection between thoughts, memories, emotions, and identity. This can lead to memory loss, feelings of detachment from oneself or surroundings, and confusion about one’s identity. These conditions often arise as a way to cope with trauma, like abuse or frightening experiences. The main types include dissociative amnesia (significant memory loss), depersonalization-derealization disorder (feeling disconnected from your body or reality), and dissociative identity disorder (experiencing multiple distinct personalities).
DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER
Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously called multiple personality disorder, is a mental health condition where a person has two or more distinct identities, known as alters.
The term “dissociate” means to disconnect, and those with DID may switch between these identities, each with its own memories, behaviors, and ways of interacting with the world. Some alters may even have different backgrounds or traits.
These identities can take control at different times, leading to memory gaps, which is a key symptom of the condition. DID can significantly affect daily functioning, impacting relationships and performance at work or school.
Symptoms:
- Individuals may experience at least two distinct identities or personality states. These different identities can influence various aspects of life, including how one behaves, remembers things, perceives oneself, and thinks about the world.
- People might also encounter issues like amnesia or memory gaps related to daily routines, personal details, and past traumatic events. Furthermore, having multiple identities can impact how someone interacts socially or performs in settings like work, home, or school.
Diagnostic Criteria:
A. Dissociative Experiences
- Presence of two or more distinct identity states or personality states that recurrently take control of an individual’s behavior.
B. Memory Gaps
- Inability to recall important information about oneself that is not attributable to forgetfulness.
C. Distress or Impairment
- The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. Cultural or Religious Context
- The symptoms are not a normal part of a broadly accepted cultural or religious practice.
DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA
Dissociative amnesia is a condition where someone finds it difficult to remember important personal details, and this goes beyond what we think of as normal forgetfulness. It often arises after experiencing trauma or intense stress.
This type of amnesia can stem from a variety of distressing events, such as experiencing or witnessing abuse, combat situations, natural disasters, the death of someone close, or facing serious financial issues. It can also be triggered by deep internal struggles, like dealing with overwhelming guilt or unresolved relationship problems.
Symptoms:
Dissociative amnesia primarily manifests as memory loss, which can appear in several ways. Here are the different forms of memory loss experienced:
- Localized: Loss of memory from a specific time period in life.
- Selective: Loss of memory about a particular event or type of event within a specific timeframe, often referred to as “patchy” amnesia.
- Generalized: Broad memory loss that spans a longer period, such as months or years.
- Continuous: This affects the ability to form new memories, leading to ongoing memory loss as events occur.
- Systematized: Loss of memory related to a particular topic, category, or specific people.
Diagnostic Criteria:
Inability to Recall Information:
- An inability to recall important information about oneself, usually involving traumatic or stressful events, that is not attributable to forgetfulness.