Dissociation
What is Dissociation?
Dissociation is often defined as a disconnect between the brain and reality. It is thought to be a natural, instinctual, and biological survival mechanism that ranges on a continuum from mild to severe. Everyone experiences mild, healthy forms of dissociation, such as daydreaming. More severe dissociation is associated with trauma or overwhelming stressors.
For example, when someone is facing overwhelming and threatening events, thoughts, pain, or emotions, their brain might stop processing those experiences as reality. This is how dissociation can protect the human mind; it can be psychological escape when physical escape is impossible.
Dissociation can become dysfunctional when it is chronically disrupting life or occurring at inappropriate times. Dysfunctional dissociation is associated with dissociative disorders and trauma-and-stressor-related disorders.
Dissociation can become dysfunctional when it is chronically disrupting life or occurring at inappropriate times. Dysfunctional dissociation is associated with dissociative disorders and trauma-and-stressor-related disorders.
Types of Dissociation
DepersonalizationDepersonalization is a state of mind where one's entire being or aspects of their entire being appear unreal. [1]:302-303,[2]:75,[3] In a depersonalization episode, one may feel detached from their entire self, their body or body parts, their thoughts, feelings, sensations like pain, their actions or their sense of agency, etc. Sometimes, depersonalization is described like an "out-of-body experience." [1]:303
DerealizationDerealization is a state of mind where the world around oneself appears unreal. In a derealization episode, one may feel detached from their environment, individuals, or inanimate objects. [1]:303 They may feel as if they are in a dream or fog. Their surroundings may feel no realer than watching a film. Derealization can also be accompanied with muted or heightened visual/auditory distortions such as blurry vision or heightened sounds. [1]:303
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Amnesia / Memory Loss
Amnesia is a type of dissociation where the individual is unable to recall important information, such as a traumatic event [1:pp.298-299][5]. The memory loss can't be better explained by ordinary forgetfulness, substance use, or another condition such as a physical injury [1:pp.298].
Identity Confusion
Identity confusion is a sense of confusion regarding oneself [5]. A person struggling with identity confusion may have difficulty describing themselves.
Identity Alteration
Identity alteration is the sense of feeling completely different from another part of oneself [5]. For example, an adult feels comfortable in their own house that they share with their significant other, but then later switches to a frightened child identity who does not recognize the house and regards the significant other as a stranger.
Additional Reading
✧ Understanding Dissociative Disorders: Mind Booklet (PDF)
✧ The ISSTD’s dissociation FAQs
✧ An overview on DID
✧ The ISSTD’s dissociation FAQs
✧ An overview on DID
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
- Kelleher, E. (2012). The Language of Mental Health: A Glossary of Psychiatric Terms, Narriman C. Shahrokh, Robert E. Hales, Katharine A. Phillips, Stuart C. Yudofsky, American Psychiatric Publishing. (346pp), ISBN: 978-1-58562-345-7. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 29(2), 137-137. Doi: 10.1017/S0790966700017481
- Dictionary.apa.org. n.d. APA Dictionary of Psychology. [online] Available at: <https://dictionary.apa.org/> [Accessed 26 February 2021].
- Sidran Institute. n.d. Glossary - Sidran Institute. [online] Available at: <https://www.sidran.org/glossary/> [Accessed 26 February 2021].
- International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. (2019, March 6). Dissociation FAQs. ISSTD. https://www.isst-d.org/resources/dissociation-faqs/
- Unsplash
- Many Voices Press, April 2009