Dissociative Disorders
Dissociation is the experience of feeling disconnected from yourself, others, or your surroundings. Dissociative disorders have the potential to disrupt all areas of mental functioning, which makes them more problematic than other types of mental health disorders. Some instances of dissociative disorders resolve on their own after a few weeks or months, while others can last for years or a lifetime.
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What Causes Dissociative Disorders?
Dissociation is your mind’s way of protecting yourself from the effects of a traumatic event or long-term abuse. Abuse or trauma during childhood significantly increases your risk of developing a dissociative disorder because children are unable to understand and process stressful situations. Children also rely on adults for access to appropriate resources and support and often don’t receive the care they need.
Types of Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Once known as multiple personality disorder, DID is the most severe of the dissociative disorders. People with DID have two or more identities, each with distinct memories, thoughts, and behaviors. When shifts in personality occur, most people are unaware and experience lapses in memory during that time.
Depersonalization / derealization disorder
Depersonalization is a sense that you are separate from yourself. Sometimes, you may not even recognize your reflection in a mirror. Derealization is the feeling that other people and your surroundings are surreal or dreamlike. Time may feel like it’s passing slower or faster than it truly is. People can experience depersonalization and derealization separately or simultaneously, with episodes lasting from a few minutes to several days or weeks. This type of dissociative disorder is particularly distressing because people are aware that their perception of themselves or their surroundings is unusual, but they have no control over it.
Dissociative amnesia disorder
An inability to recall information about yourself or your past that is usually the result of childhood trauma, especially emotional abuse. Many people are aware they have memory loss, but to varying degrees. There are four types of amnesia associated with this disorder:
- Localized Amnesia: Losing all memory of a traumatic event for a while. A person who has been the victim of a violent crime may not recall the incident at all for several days following the event.
- Selective Amnesia: Having patchy or incomplete memories of an event.
- Generalized Amnesia: Difficulty remembering details from your entire life.
- Systematized Amnesia: A particular memory loss, such as having no recollection of a particular relative.
Symptoms of Dissociative Disorders
- Dissociative fugue - A temporary total loss of memory that results in someone ending up in an unexpected place with no memory of how they got there.
- Difficulty handling strong emotions.
- Sudden, unexpected changes in mood or behavior with no apparent cause.
- Feeling disconnected from yourself or observing yourself from outside your body.
- Cognitive problems like trouble concentrating.
- Memory loss that is not a result of an injury or other medical condition.
- Extreme feelings of anxiety or depression.
Treating Dissociative Disorders
Talk therapy is often the first line of treatment for dissociative disorders. Working with a therapist can help you identify the causes of your dissociative symptoms and develop strategies to manage episodes of dissociation better. Grounding techniques, like breathing exercises or meditation, are beneficial for reducing feelings of stress and anxiety when you feel yourself beginning to dissociate. Your therapist may suggest writing in a journal to help you recall information and events that took place during a dissociative episode. EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) can help reduce the stress response associated with a specific traumatic experience.
The Mind Matters Difference
Our team of therapists knows that your mind matters, and we can help you harness its power so you can live a happier, more balanced life. You’re more than just a client file to us; we don’t have a cookie-cutter approach to treating dissociative disorders. Mental health is vital for everyone, and our goal is to make treatment accessible and welcoming to anyone who needs it.
Therapy for Dissociative Disorders Near Lexington, Kentucky and Columbus, Ohio
Dissociative disorders can be frightening and stressful for you and your loved ones. A dissociative disorder can make it difficult for you to keep a job, navigate relationships, and manage the responsibilities of daily life. Working with a therapist at Mind Matters can help you to lessen the impact a dissociative disorder has on your life. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We offer therapy services in Lexington, Kentucky, Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding area.