Feeling out of touch and detached from reality is commonly experienced by those with a dissociative disorder. Depending on the frequency and intensity of this experience, it can be quite stressful for many. All age groups and backgrounds are capable of experiencing a dissociative disorder.
Up to 75% of people encounter at least one dissociative event at some point in their lives, with only 2% meeting the full criteria for chronic episodes.
Dissociative disorders are related to trauma and stress-related disorders, including acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Those who experience a traumatic event may naturally experience dissociation as a result but will often subside independently without treatment.
Anyone can have difficulty with their memory from time to time. For example, people may arrive home after a long drive to realize they don’t remember if they stopped at the stop sign. This is referred to as usual dissociation and typically does not disrupt daily activities.
On the other hand, those with a dissociative disorder may completely forget things that occurred over minutes, hours, or sometimes much longer. They may also feel detached (dissociated) from themselves and the things that make up their identity-like memories, thoughts, physical body, and emotions. Their sense of identity is altered.
Symptoms develop as a response to keep stressful memories under control. Other stressful situations can intensify symptoms and cause problems with daily functioning, such as going to work or taking care of yourself.
Dissociative disorders include the following:
● Feeling detached from self and the world around them
● Being unable to recall memories or details
● Having a distorted sense of identity and memory
Symptoms
Symptoms and signs of dissociative disorders include:
● Memory loss
● Out-of-body experiences, such as feeling like you’re watching a movie of yourself
● Other symptoms of mental health disorders, like depression and anxiety ● A sense of detachment from emotions and identity
● Inability to cope with personal or professional stressors
The symptoms of dissociative disorders vary depending on the type of condition. There are three types defined in the DSM.
Depersonalization Disorder
This disorder involves continuous feelings of detachment from someone’s actions, feelings, thoughts, and sensations as if they are separate from them or witnessing them from someone else’s perspective (depersonalization).
Sometimes other people and things may feel like they aren’t physically real (derealization). They may perceive their bodies differently while looking in a mirror; for example, their bodies appear to be of different shapes or sizes.
Other typical symptoms are similar to general dissociative disorders, including difficulty concentrating or paying attention and memory problems.
A person may experience depersonalization and derealization and can last anywhere from a few moments or frequently return over long periods of time. People often report feeling like time has slowed down. The average onset age is 16 and affects men and women equally.
Passing feelings of depersonalization and derealization frequently occur after people:
● Experience life-threatening danger
● Take certain drugs (such as marijuana, hallucinogens, etc.)
● Are sleep-deprived
Depersonalization/derealization disorder may disappear without treatment. If the condition persists or causes severe distress, psychotherapy may be helpful.
Dissociative Amnesia
Unlike depersonalization where someone experiences a foggier version of the present, the main symptom found in dissociative amnesia is difficulty with specific memories. They may surround a particular, stressful event, or details about identity and life history. The onset for an episode is usually sudden and can last anywhere from a few minutes to multiple days.
The lost memory involves information that one typically doesn’t need to think about consciously, such as:
● Who they are
● Where they just went
● What one just did, said to someone else, thought, or felt
Like other dissociative disorders, a loss of information or memory may result from a traumatic event. Sometimes the details, though forgotten, continues to influence behavior.
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Previously known as multiple personality disorder, DID is the most severe type of dissociative disorder. DID is characterized by various identities or alters. Extreme stress, neglect, or abuse during childhood may be too overwhelming to think about or remember, so these memories are stored into separate identities. They may represent different periods throughout their lives and may have their own names and unique characteristics.
A person may feel like there are one or more voices in their heads trying to control them. These can influence behavior, but the person is usually unaware of when this happens and may have trouble remembering what they did. As a result, someone with DID is often diagnosed with dissociative amnesia as well.
Extensive psychotherapy may help people understand their identities and help them function as one unit. DID is chronic and potentially disabling, although many people learn to function very well and lead creative, productive lives.
Treatment options
Dissociative disorders are complex. Since they correlate with trauma, an individual may benefit from similar interventions and strategies, including:
● Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
● Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
● Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
● Medication
Dissociative disorders can be remarkably frightening and debilitating since the symptoms are mostly out of a person’s control. But this doesn’t mean that these disorders cannot improve with effective treatment. Building a strong support network and an effective treatment team is essential and can significantly improve the overall quality of life.
Individual Online Therapy in Florida, Idaho, South Carolina, and Utah
At Calming Transformations Counseling, our therapists understand life can be hard and can affect our emotional and mental health. We also serve those with anxiety, stress, depression, or relationship issues, who may be religious. Sessions can be held through online therapy in the states of Florida, Idaho, South Carolina or Utah, or walk and talk therapy in Hillsborough County, Florida. Book an appointment or contact us today to schedule a session and take the first step toward a more peaceful life.
