Dissociation

After covering disorders related to traumatic and stressful events, the diagnostic manual (DSM-5) continues with Dissociative Disorders. In previous posts, I mentioned the term dissociation but never delved into it, so now is the right time to explain it in my own words.

Explaining dissociation is not easy. In the disorders I've discussed before, readers may have personally experienced some symptoms, or may have heard about them from someone else, read about them in a book, or seen them in a movie. For example, Depression and Anxiety are very common, so we have an idea of what they are and can easily grasp their concept.

But dissociation? Who has ever heard of it?

I’ve already given an example of dissociation, so let's review it. I mentioned the lives of war veterans after their experiences on the front lines. There are moments when they behave as if they are still physically in the war—they are dissociated or disconnected from their present reality.

Let’s try another example. Imagine someone playing slot machines, continuously inserting coins and pulling the lever over and over again. It feels like they could go on forever. It’s possible this person is experiencing dissociation—they are not aware of their surroundings, of the activity they’re engaging in, or even of the passage of time.

Being dissociated is different from being distracted. If you ask a distracted person a question, they might say, "Sorry, I was distracted. Can you repeat that?" They were aware that their attention was focused elsewhere. If you ask the same question to someone experiencing dissociation, they wouldn’t be aware of what you’re talking about. During a dissociative episode, there’s a lack of ability to integrate surrounding and internal information to create a coherent experience.

The diagnostic manual (DSM-5) describes three main Dissociative Disorders:

1. Dissociative Identity Disorder
2. Dissociative Amnesia
3. Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder.

Sources:

• American Psychiatric Association (2013) - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).
• Bernhill, J. W. (2014) - DSM-5 Clinical Cases.

If you'd like me to describe a psychology topic in my own words, feel free to write it in the comments!