Types of Dissociative Disorders: What You Should Know

Dissociative disorders are complicated mental health issues that could have a huge impact on an individual’s thoughts, emotions, memory, and sense of identity. Sometimes, when someone senses that he or she is losing focus or drifting off, this is common and not a concern. But if this type of “zoning out” is frequent, disruptive, and hinders one’s functioning in everyday life, it could be concerning.

These disorders frequently follow some traumatic event or very stressful situation, which triggers the mind to try to compensate for very upsetting or hard-to-deal-with events. Understanding, reducing the stigma, encouraging early intervention, and reminding those affected that effective dissociative identity disorder treatment and recovery are possible can help to improve the understanding of the different types of dissociative disorders.

Here we are going to discuss the most common types of dissociative disorders, the symptoms, common causes, and treatment options.

What Is Dissociation?

Dissociation is a disconnection of one’s sense of self, thoughts, memories, emotions, or surroundings. It falls on a continuum, from a mild experience, like being immersed in a book or losing track of time, to a more intense state that impacts functioning in life.

In people who have dissociative disorders, these episodes happen more often, are worse, and cause more distress. May experience memory loss, identity confusion, emotional numbing, or detachment from reality, necessitating the need for an expert DID therapist intervention.

What Causes Dissociative Disorders?

While the underlying mechanisms are different for different individuals, dissociative disorders are most frequently linked to a history of intense and enduring trauma, especially in childhood. Other possible reasons include:

• Abuse by touching, sexually touching, or intimidating
• Neglect during childhood
• Exposure to violence, conflict, or war
• Major disasters or accidents of any kind and severity
• Chronic stress
• Some conditions, such as medical or neurological conditions, need evaluation

However, not every trauma will cause dissociative disorders, but some are the most likely triggers. This is where trauma recovery therapy can help.

The Main Types of Dissociative Disorders

Mental health experts agree that there are three main types of dissociative disorders.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

One of the more well-known and under-documented dissociative disorders, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), was formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder.

Those who have DID have multiple identity personalities that can affect how they act, remember, perceive, and relate. These identity states can result from serious and repeated trauma and may require psychological interventions.

Common symptoms include:

• Significant memory gaps
• A sense of other parts of the self taking over
• Trouble with retaining dates, locations, or people’s names
• Emotional distress
• Variations in voice, behavior, or preferences

DID is a REAL disorder and needs. And trauma therapy can treat DID through informed and compassionate care.

Dissociative Amnesia

Dissociative amnesia is the loss of memories for significant personal events that is not caused by normal forgetfulness or a nervous system disorder.

Memory loss may involve:

• Specific events
• There are certain times when the characters give names
• Personal identity
• Traumatic experiences

Some may wander away from home and completely forget that they are the same person, in a dissociative fugue, highlighting the importance of understanding the difference between DID and Borderline Personality Disorder.

Drug withdrawal symptoms can come on very quickly after high stress or trauma.

Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

Those suffering from depersonalization or derealization disorder will have persistent or recurring feelings of separation. Depersonalization is a sense of being detached from oneself, sort of “looking at life from outside the body”.

Derealization is the feeling of being disconnected from the environment, or of the world appearing unreal, dreamlike, or distorted. So, it’s important to understand the difference between DID and daydreaming.

Many of these experiences may be terrifying, but they are not taken as reality and therefore are not classified as psychotic disorders.

Common symptoms include:

• Feeling emotionally numb
• Distorted ideas of time.
• Lack of a physical sense of self of the body
• Foggy or nonreality locales
• Difficulty concentrating

Common Symptoms Across Dissociative Disorders

The signs and symptoms are different for various disorders and can include any of the following:

• Memory problems
• Identity confusion
• Feeling detached from emotions
• Emotional numbness
• Difficulty managing stress
• Anxiety or depression
• Flashbacks
• Difficulty maintaining relationships
• Problems at work or school

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety often accompany dissociative disorders.

How Are Dissociative Disorders Diagnosed?

A comprehensive evaluation by a qualified mental health professional is known as a diagnosis.

The assessment may consist of any of the following:

• A thorough psychological interview
• Medical history review
• Symptom evaluation
• The screening of trauma history is carried out
• Excluding medical issues, chemical abuse, and neurological diseases

Many mental health disorders have overlapping signs and symptoms, which is why it is essential to make an accurate diagnosis before starting a successful treatment plan.

Treatment Options

With the right treatment and help, people can recover from dissociative disorders. Treatment is tailored for a person, depending on their needs, symptoms, and experiences.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is recommended as the main treatment. Some ways to achieve evidence-based approaches may be:

• Trauma-focused therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), when clinically appropriate
• Supportive psychotherapy

The aim is to facilitate the processing of traumatic experiences in a safe and supportive way, enhance coping mechanisms, and foster overall wellbeing in the individual’s everyday functioning.

Medication

No drugs have been specifically developed for the treatment of dissociative disorders. But, sometimes drugs are effective in controlling related symptoms like:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep disturbances
• Mood instability

Always consult a trained health care professional before taking medication.

Conclusion

Dissociative disorders are very real, treatable mental illnesses and not something to be judged or blamed for. These conditions may be caused by trauma, but it is possible to recover from them with therapeutic options, emotional support, and the appropriate evidence-based treatment.

Healing Journey at Columbus Care Center is one thing we know, and it is a journey that is personal to the individual.  Contact us to speak with our caring team and schedule a confidential assessment!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to develop a dissociative disorder in adulthood?

Dissociative disorders are frequently associated with childhood trauma, but others may not know about it or may not see the symptoms until they become adults themselves.

Do dissociative disorders stay the same?

Not necessarily. Early diagnosis, regular treatment, and continued care can result in significant symptom relief and improved quality of life for many people.

Does stress contribute to exacerbating dissociative symptoms?

Yes. Dissociative symptoms may become more frequent or intense when levels of stress and anxiety are high, or when there is a reminder of past traumatic events.