Psychiatry-Dissociative Disorders

Question 1

Splitting off of clusters of mental contents from conscious awareness

Answer 1

Dissociation

Question 2

What are psychiatrists trying to get at when they interpret people’s dreams?

Answer 2

Unconsciously repressed ideas or events that are not oppressed when you are asleep.

Question 3

What is the etiology of many types of dissociation?

Answer 3

Trauma. During traumatic experiences people separate themselves from the physical things happening to them. This separation continues on after the event and causes dissociation disorder.

Question 4

Criteria for diagnosing a dissociative identity disorder.

Answer 4

2+ distinct personality states. Recurrent gaps in recall of information (daily events, traumatic events). Causes significant distress or impairment. Not due to another medical condition or substance abuse.

Question 5

Criteria for diagnosing dissociative amnesia.

Answer 5

Inability to recall important autobiographical information. Causes significant distress or impairment. Not due to another medical condition (PTSD) or substance abuse.

Question 6

Criteria for diagnosing depersonalization/ derealization disorder.

Answer 6

Recurrent experiences of detachment from environment (watching a movie of yourself). Reality testing remains in tact. Not due to another medical condition or substance abuse.