Dissociative Disorders: Symptoms and Treatments

Dissociative disorders are characterized by an involuntary escape from reality characterized by a disconnection between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. Understanding the symptoms and the recommended treatments can give insight into these disorders.

Understanding Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative disorders generally develop as a way to cope with trauma. The symptoms range from amnesia to alternate identities. While people might temporary feel disconnected from their bodies or thoughts at times of high stress, if such occurrences become frequent or bring about disruption in your life, you might have a dissociative disorder.

Symptoms Of Dissociative Disorders

Although symptoms vary based on the type of dissociative disorder, some common ones include:

• Memory loss: This pertains to specific events, people, and periods that may signify dissociative amnesia.
• Mental health problems: Anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies often accompany dissociative disorders.
• Detachment: A sense of disconnect from your emotions, or feeling as though your emotions aren’t your own.
• A sense of being unreal: You may even perceive the world as “dreamlike” or “distorted.”
• Inability to cope with daily issues: Those with dissociative disorders often report an “overload” that interrupts normal functioning.

Treatment For Dissociative Disorders

While each treatment plan is tailored to the individual’s needs. Some commonly used treatments for dissociative disorders include:

Psychotherapy

Also known as talk therapy, this is the primary treatment for dissociative disorders. This therapy works by helping patients to control their symptoms and may involve techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

This form of psychotherapy helps reduce symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are often present in individuals with dissociative disorders. This technique attempts to change the reaction to memories of trauma.

Medication

While there isn’t a specific drug to treat dissociative disorders directly, a physician may prescribe medications such as anti-anxiety drugs or antidepressants to help manage any underlying conditions like depression or anxiety.

Conclusion

As we wrap up, it’s important to note that early diagnosis and intervention significantly improve the prognosis for recovery from a dissociative disorder. If you identify with any of the mentioned symptoms, reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these challenges.