Factsheet: Dissociation and Dissociative DisordersWhat is Dissociation?Dissociation is a mental process that causes a lack of connection in a person’s thoughts, memory and sense of identity. Dissociation seems to fall on a continuum of severity. Mild dissociation would be like daydreaming, getting “lost” in a book, or when you are driving down a familiar stretch of road and realize that you do not remember the last several miles. A severe and more chronic form of dissociation is seen in the disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder, once called Multiple Personality Disorder, and other Dissociative Disorders. How Common is Dissociation?Transient and mild dissociative experiences are common. Almost 1/3rd of people say they occasionally feel as though they are watching themselves in a movie, and 4% say they feel that way as much as 1/3rd of the time. The incidence of these experiences is highest in youth and steadily declines after the age of 20. 7% of the population may have suffered from a dissociative disorder at some time. But these disorders are difficult to identify and may go undiagnosed for many years. Other Forms of DissociationOther dissociative disorders include “psychogenic amnesia” (the inability to recall personally significant memories), “psychogenic fugue” (memory loss characteristic of amnesia, loss of one’s identity, and fleeing from one’s home environment), and “multiple personality” (the person has two or more distinct personalities that alternate with one another. This is also known as “ Dissociative Identity Disorder” or “Multiple Personality Disorder”). TreatmentWhen dissociative experiences are the central, chronic, and overwhelming problem, treatment usually demands long-term individual psychotherapy. People with these disorders often have good reasons to mistrust authority as well as a lifelong habit of keeping secrets from themselves and others. A working alliance must be established with an often demoralized and suspicious person who believes the world is unjust or that he/she is an evil person. Other ResourcesThe International Society for the Study of Dissociation 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300 McLean, VA 22102 Phone Number: (703) 610-9037 Fax Number: (703) 610-9005 Website URL: www.issd.org Sidran Institute 200 E. Joppa Road, Suite 207 Towson, MD 21286 Phone Number: 410-825-8888 Toll-Free Number: 888-825-8249 Fax Number: 4110-337-0747 Email Address: help@sidran.org Website URL: www.sidran.org For More Information:For help finding treatment, support groups, medication information, help paying for your medications, your local Mental Health America affiliate, and other mental health-related services in your community, please contact us.If you or someone you know is in crisis now, seek help immediately. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24 hour crisis center or dial 911 for immediate assistance. Page last updated: 2/25/2009
|