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I mentioned dissociating last post and I figured I should probably explain this more fully. A wonderful short video by Osmosis.org does an excellent job of this, which you can watch here:
Anyone can dissociate. Up to 75% of people have an out-of-body experience at least once in their lifetime, the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) states . However, only about 2% experience dissociation on a chronic basis – enough to affect their daily functioning. This is when it becomes a disorder.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) divides Dissociative Disorder into three subtypes:
- Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
- Dissociative Amnesia
- Dissociative Identity Disorder (or Multiple Personality Disorder)
What They All Have in Common:
All dissociative disorders cause a break in reality, or a split between your mind and your body. Generally, people feel a sense of detachment from themselves or like they are having an out-of-body experience. The APA breaks it down further and says dissociation is a disconnection between yourself and your memories, actions, sense of self, thoughts, and feelings. While all of us pretty much experience common forms of dissociation like daydreaming or getting lost in a good book or movie, dissociative disorders take it to an unhealthy level. Most, if not all the time that someone has a dissociative disorder, it stems from some sort of intense trauma or stress. The dissociation enables them to forget atrocious memories and is a coping mechanism that the brain utilizes (they have no control over it).
Types of Dissociative Disorders:
Dissociative Identity Disorder used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder, and most people have an idea of what this is. If you’ve seen the movie Split with James McAvoy, you know that a person who has this disorder experiences multiple (at least 2) personalities. Each personality is usually completely different from the main personality, possessing different likes and dislikes, values, beliefs, etc. Chronic memory gaps plague people with Dissociative Identity Disorder and 70% attempt suicide at least once. They are most often victims of childhood abuse and neglect and this is the most severe type of dissociative disorder.
Dissociative Amnesia is when an individual forgets details about himself or herself for minutes to hours to days – sometimes even years. A person with Dissociative Amnesia may not remember who they are, or what happened to them in the past. It is likely they will have multiple episodes in their lifetime.
Depersonalization/Derealization is the least severe type of dissociation. It consists of feeling emotionally numb, like a robot, or feeling like you are watching your life unfold but not really experiencing it. Sometimes people feel like they don’t identify with their name or who they used to be as a person. Derealization specifically makes people feel like their surroundings and other people or situations are not real. Most of the time people complain that these feelings are very distressful. Depersonalization/ derealization most often begins happening around the age of 16, and only 20% of cases have been reported to start after the age of 20.
What to Do If You Suspect You Have One of These Dissociative Disorders
If you suspect you have Dissociative Identity Disorder or Dissociative Amnesia, there is help out there for you. Please see a mental health professional, specifically someone who is familiar with or specializes in complex mental illness.
What to Do If You Have Depersonalization
This is the type of dissociation I have. I started having non-epileptic seizures when I was 17 and they have only gotten worse as I’ve aged (I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 35). If you think you might also be struggling with Depersonalization/Derealization, you can take a short test here by PsychCentral. If you are worried or fairly certain that you identify with these statements, it is a good idea to bring it up to your therapist or mental health doctor. Psychotherapy and medication can both help. Having a strong support system, maintaining boundaries, staying grounded, and nurturing yourself are also important in dealing with depersonalization and all it entails. I will provide some exercises in the next post that you can use to combat these feelings.
