Dissociative Disorders

Question 1

The patient cannot remember important information that is usually a personal nature. It is usually stress-related (far beyond common forgetfulness)

Answer 1

Dissociative amnesia

Localized
Selective
Generalized
Continuous
Systematized

Question 2

A patient appears to have at least two clearly individual personalities, each with unique attributes of mood, perception, recall, and control of thought and behavior. The result: a person with memory gaps for personal information that common forgetfulness cannot begin to explain

Answer 2

Dissociative identity disorder

Question 3

There are episodes of detachment, as if the patient is observing the patient’s own behavior from outside. In this situation, there is no actual memory loss

Answer 3

Depersonalization/derealization disorder

Question 4

Patients who have symptoms suggestive of any of the dissociative disorders, but who do not meet criteria for any one of them, may be placed in one of these two categories

Answer 4

Other specified, or unspecified, dissociative disorder

Question 5

Some patients panic may experience depersonalization or derealization as part of this disorder.

Answer 5

Panic attack

Question 6

A month or more following a severe trauma, the patient may not remember important aspects of personal history with this disorder

Answer 6

PTSD

Question 7

Immediately following a severe trauma, patients may not remember important aspects of personal history with this disorder

Answer 7

Acute stress disorder

Question 8

Patients who have a history of somatic symptoms that cannot be explained on the basis of known disease mechanisms can also forget important aspects of personal history with this disorder

Answer 8

Somatic symptoms disorder

Question 9

Sleepwalking resembles the dissociative disorders, in that there is amnesia for purposeful behavior. But it is classified elsewhere in order to keep all the sleep disorders together

Answer 9

Non-rapid eye movement sleep arousal disorder, sleepwalking type

Question 10

When severely stressed, these people will sometimes experience episodes of dissociation, such as depersonalization

Answer 10

Borderline personality disorder

Question 11

Some patients consciously feign symptoms of memory loss. their object is material gain, such as avoiding punishment or obtaining money or drugs

Answer 11

Malingering

Question 12

Dissociative Amnesia specifiers (5)

Answer 12

• Localized. No recall for events that occurred within a particular time frame.
• Selective. Certain portions of a time period have been forgotten.
• Generalized. Entire lifetime forgotten
• Continuous. Forgets all events from a given time forward to present.
• Systematized. Forgot certain classes of info

Question 13

The amnestic person suddenly journeys from home. Often following a severe stress. Individual may experience disorientation and a sense of perplexity. Some will assume a new identity. Most often brief.

Answer 13

Dissociative Fugue