Dissociative Disorders

Question 1

What is Dissociation?

Answer 1

Splitting off from conscious awareness of self, usually as a coping strategy to stress-

Question 2

What are the three types?

Answer 2

1. Localized: total loss for a certain period of time
2. Selective: some loss but certain period of time
3. Generalized: complete loss of everything till the event

Question 3

What is Fugue and what are typical features of it?

Answer 3

Purposeful travel or bewildered wandering associated with amnesia for identity or other autobiographical information

Typical features:

• brief (hours to days)
• unobtrusive lifestyle during fugue
• spontaneous termination of amnesia
• rarely occurs

Question 4

What types of memory problems are exhibited and what do they mean?

Answer 4

Organic Basis: Patient has difficulty learning new information-lesion to an actual physical brain structure-loses anterograde memory, but also has past memory loss

Psychological (dissociative) basis: learns new information well-only loss of retrograde memory, anterograde is fine

Question 5

Dissociative Identity Disorder
What’s the time frame?

What are the hints for this disease?

Answer 5

Disruption of Identity characterized by two or more distinct personality states

1. Primary (host)
2. An Alter

Frequent memory gaps in host while Alter takes over

Hints: Amnesia with “mistaken identity” experiences like having clothes you’d never wear, having people call you different names, and having books you’ve never read

Question 6

Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
What is each?

What should remain intact?

What should be eliminated?

Answer 6

Depersonalization: outside observer with respect to one’s thoughts, feelings, sensations, body or actions

Derealization: experiences of unreality or detachment with respect to surroundings-objects around you feel unreal

Reality testing should remain intact-the person knows that the experience is a misperception

Other metabolic/neurologic/pathological condition should be eliminated

Question 7

What are the biological correlates?

What is Amnesia?

Answer 7

Unknown

Amnesia: no structural brain damage accounts for the memory loss and the primary dysfunction is retrieving the memory

Question 8

What is the treatment for Dissociative Disorders

Answer 8

1. Psychotherapy-CBT

2. Hypnosis to help recover memories-this can result in false memory syndrome