Why people dissociate

Someone with a dissociative disorder may have experienced physical, sexual or emotional abuse during childhood. Some people dissociate after experiencing war, kidnapping or even an invasive medical procedure. Switching off from reality is a normal defence mechanism that helps the person cope during a traumatic time. It's a form of denial, as if "this is not happening to me". It becomes a problem when the environment is no longer traumatic but the person still acts and lives as if it is, and has not dealt with or processed the event.

A GP may examine you and do some tests to check if another illness might be the cause of your symptoms. They may also refer you to a mental health specialist for a full assessment. The specialist who carries out your assessment should have a good understanding of dissociative disorders. It's important to be honest about your symptoms and not to feel ashamed or embarrassed, so you can receive the help and support you need. Many people with a dissociative disorder make a full recovery with treatment and support.

The aim of talking therapies such as counselling is to help you cope with the underlying cause of your symptoms, and to learn and practise techniques to manage the periods of feeling disconnected. There's no specific medicine to treat dissociation, but medicines like antidepressants may be prescribed to treat associated conditions like depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

If you have thoughts about taking your life, it's important you ask someone for help. It's probably difficult for you to see it at this time, but you're not alone or beyond help.

Find out more about getting help if you're feeling suicidal. If you're worried that someone you know may be considering suicide, try to encourage them to talk about how they're feeling. Listening is the best way to help. Try to avoid offering solutions and try not to judge. If they have previously been diagnosed with a mental health condition, such as depression, you can speak to a member of their care team for help and advice.

If you have a dissociative disorder, getting help and support is an important part of the recovery process. Talking to your partner, family and friends about how your past experiences have affected you can help you come to terms with what happened, as well as helping them understand how you feel. Mental health charity Mind has more information on dissociative disorders and a list of support organisations.

Dissociative disorders are frequently associated with previous experience of trauma. The Sidran Institute , which works to help people understand and cope with traumatic stress and dissociative disorders, describes the phenomenon of dissociation and the purpose it may serve as follows:.

This is a normal process that everyone has experienced. During a traumatic experience such as an accident, disaster or crime victimization, dissociation can help a person tolerate what might otherwise be too difficult to bear. In situations like these, a person may dissociate the memory of the place, circumstances or feelings about of the overwhelming event, mentally escaping from the fear, pain and horror.

This may make it difficult to later remember the details of the experience, as reported by many disaster and accident survivors. Dissociative identity disorder was previously referred to as multiple personality disorder. In addition, the disturbance must not be a normal part of a broadly accepted cultural or religious practice. As noted in the DSM-5 1 , in many cultures around the world, experiences of being possessed are a normal part of spiritual practice and are not dissociative disorders.

The attitude and personal preferences for example, about food, activities, clothes of a person with dissociative identity disorder may suddenly shift and then shift back. The identities happen involuntarily and are unwanted and cause distress. People with dissociative identity disorder may feel that they have suddenly become observers of their own speech and actions, or their bodies may feel different e.

It is important to keep in mind that although these alternate states may feel or appear to be very different, they are all manifestations of a single, whole person. For people with dissociative identity disorder, the extent of problems functioning can vary widely, from minimal to significant problems. People often try to minimize the impact of their symptoms.

People who have experienced physical and sexual abuse in childhood are at increased risk of dissociative identity disorder. The vast majority of people who develop dissociative disorders have experienced repetitive, overwhelming trauma in childhood. Among people with dissociative identity disorder in the United States, Canada and Europe, about 90 percent had been the victims of childhood abuse and neglect. The stress of war or natural disasters also can bring on dissociative disorders.

Personal identity is still forming during childhood. So a child is more able than an adult to step outside of himself or herself and observe trauma as though it's happening to a different person. A child who learns to dissociate in order to endure a traumatic experience may use this coping mechanism in response to stressful situations throughout life. People who experience long-term physical, sexual or emotional abuse during childhood are at greatest risk of developing dissociative disorders.

Children and adults who experience other traumatic events, such as war, natural disasters, kidnapping, torture, or extended, traumatic, early-life medical procedures, also may develop these conditions. People with dissociative disorders are at increased risk of complications and associated disorders, such as:. Children who are physically, emotionally or sexually abused are at increased risk of developing mental health disorders, such as dissociative disorders.

If stress or other personal issues are affecting the way you treat your child, seek help. If your child has been abused or has experienced another traumatic event, see a doctor immediately. Your doctor can refer you to a mental health professional who can help your child recover and adopt healthy coping skills.

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