Dissociative Disorders Flashcards
What is a dissociative disorder?
It is an identity disorder that interrupts a person’s understanding of their own self (body, mind, identity).
How does a dissociative disorder develop?
It is a response to trauma called a coping mechanism. When the trauma is too great to cope with, or is not properly integrated, it causes disintegration of self, mind and body.
Co-occurring disorders with disssociative disorder?
PTSD
Anxiety disorders and panic disorder
OCD
What is dissociative amnesia?
It is a response to trauma where the brain blocks out important information or events. Connected to trauma.
What are 4 different categories of dissociative amnesia?
Localized amnesia
Selective amnesia
Generalized amnesia
Systematized amnesia
What is localized amnesia?
When a specific traumatic memory is lost within a specific window of time.
Localized - within a small place or space in time
EX. A person who was in a car crash doesn’t remember the event until 2 days later,
What is selective amnesia?
When a person can only remember bits and pieces of events instead of the entire event.
EX. Abuse victim may not be able to remember all the abusive events, but can remember some.
What is generalized amnesia?
When amnesia affects a person’s memory or understanding of their entire life.
What is systematized amnesia?
When a person’s loss of memory affects only a specific category of information.
EX. A person is missing all memories from a specific person or place.
What is dissociative fugue?
A person with diss. fgue will suddenly take off without warning and sets off on a journey. This person is confused or lost in their identity and sometimes will develop a new identity.
What is dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
Formerly labeled as multiple personality disorder.
An illness, or coping mechanism, in which a person has more than one distinct identity, called “alters” with specific memories and personalities.
What is depersonalization disorder?
It is a disorder where a person feels extremely detached from their body, experience or self, to the point that it interrupts their functioning. It is similar to a feeling of “being spaced out” or “being in a dream.”
It causes feelings of distortions in reality.
