First Aid: Dissociative Disorders Flashcards
List some examples of dissociative disorders.
Dissociative amnesia
Dissociative fugue
Dissociative identity disorder
Depersonalization disorder
True or false: dissociative disorders are NEVER due to an underlying medical condition or substance use.
TRUE
Amnesia is a prominent symptom in all dissociation disorders except which?
Depersonalization disorder
What specific condition is required for the diagnosis of dissociative amnesia?
Amnesia is the ONLY dissociative symptom present
What is the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis of dissociative amnesia?
- At least 1 episode of inability to recall personal information, usually involving a traumatic or stressful event
- The amnesia cannot be explained by ordinary forgetfulness
- Symptoms cause significant distress or impairment in daily functioning and cannot be explained by another d/o, medical condition or substance abuse
Are people with dissociative amnesia usually aware of their deficits?
YES: they are aware they are having difficulty remembering but are not troubled by it
What types of things do people with dissociative amnesia forget?
things like their name but can remember obscure details
In what gender is dissociative amnesia more common?
women
In what age group is dissociative amnesia more common?
younger adults
What are the common comorbidities with dissociative amnesia?
- MDD
- Anxiety disorders
What is the prognosis for dissociative amnesia?
- Many return to normal abruptly after minutes or days
- Recurrences are uncommon
What is the treatment for dissociative amnesia?
- Help patients retrieve lost memories to prevent future recurrences
- Subsequent psychotherapy
What drugs may help a patient with dissociative amnesia talk in an interview?
Hypnosis or sodium amobarbital or lorazepam
What is the risk in using sodium amobarbital?
respiratory depression
What is the word for the strong reaction that patients often get when retrieving traumatic memories?
Abreaction
What is the most common dissociative disorder?
dissociative amnesia
What is the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosing dissociative fugue?
- Sudden unexpected travel away from home or work plus inability to recall one’s past
- Confusion about personal identity or assumption of new identity
- Not due to dissociative identity disorder or the physiological effects of a substance or medical d/o
- Symptoms cause impairment in social or occupational functioning
What is a major difference between dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue?
those with dissociative fugue are not aware that they have forgotten anything
What are the major predisposing factors for dissociative fugue?
- Heavy use of alcohol
- Major depression
- History of head trauma
- Epilepsy
What is the trigger for dissociative fugue?
-Stressful life event (life stressor or personal conflict)
How long do fugues usually last?
A few hours to several days (but may last longer)
What usually happens after a fugue?
Person will assume his or her old identity without ever remembering the time of the fugue
How do you treat dissociative fugue?
same as dissociative amnesia
What is the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosing dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder)?
- Presence of 2 or more distinct identities
- At least 2 of the identities recurrently take control of the person’s behavior
- Inability to recall personal information of when personality when the other is dominant
- Not due to effects of substance or medical condition
