What is Dissociative Disorder?

Dissociative Disorder

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Dissociative Disorder Definition:

In dissociative disorders, a human memory, his consciousness, consciousness and perception of the encompassing state of affairs become broken and defective. many sorts of distinctive symptoms ar ascertained during this disorder. However, it should be noted that these symptoms originate in the same process and there is a characteristic similarity between them. In the case of each symptom it is seen that a particular part of the personality has become detached from the original personality. It is for this feature that the symptoms are collectively referred to as dissociative disorders. Psychiatrist Janet was the first to identify scientifically isolated disorders, collect various data, and identify them as distinct diseases.

Dissociative Disorder Types:

The DSM-IV-TR classification addresses at least four categories of dissociative disorders. They are- 

1. Dissociative disorder amnesia

 2. Dissociative disorder fugue

3. Dissociative depersonalization disorder

 4. Dissociative identity disorder 

The following is a detailed discussion of dissociative disorders :

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Dissociative Disorder Amnesia

 In the case of amnesia, the patient's past life events are forgotten. Dementia usually occurs for three reasons, namely, due to a physical disorder or injury, due to drug use, and due to conflict, depression and emotional trauma. Memory can actually be destroyed if dementia is caused by a physical cause. But in the case of amnesia due to mental reasons, the memory only becomes repressed and unconscious. Dementia caused by psychological factors is included in dissociative disorders. In case of partial amnesia, the person cannot recall any special event, experience or any particular chapter of his past life. When complete amnesia occurs, the person's memory is completely lost. He can't remember anything about his name, his address, his parents, his wife, his son, his relatives. In the face of intense stress arising from a difficult conflict or frustration in life, the person may develop symptoms of dementia. Dementia occurs in a person trying to get rid of severe mental stress.

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Dissociative Disorder Fugue

 Dissociative fugitive condition is an extreme condition of amnesia. In this case, the patient becomes completely self-conscious and unknowingly goes to a distant unknown place and starts his life there in a new way. Attempts to escape from past lives are seen here, which is why it is called a fugitive state. He takes a new name in a new place and takes a job and starts living there permanently. In many cases, the patient can remarry and start a new family life despite having a previous spouse.

Although the patient has amnesia about his past life, his past life education and acquired skills remain intact. As a result, he has no difficulty in taking up the profession and achieving success in the profession depending on his past education. Outwardly he leads a very normal life. Only a great emptiness and puzzle remains in his mind about his past life. That's why he hangs out with people who aren't particularly curious about his past life. Such fugitives can last from a few months to a few years or indefinitely. If at any time his fugitive state ends spontaneously, he will be completely stunned to see himself in this new environment. Then he will get back the memories of his previous life, but all the fugitive colleagues etc. will become unfamiliar to him. He will never understand how he came to this new place.

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Dissociative Depersonalization Disorder

The main symptom of this group is to feel detached from one's own self and feel like an impersonal entity. In depersonalization disorder, the person reaches a state of mind when he cannot feel alone with his own being. He considers himself outside his own soul and observes his own mental and physical functions as an external spectator. In this situation the person feels that he has no control over his actions, and he feels that he has no responsibility in this regard. The person takes the role of an indifferent spectator, detached from his own self.

Sometimes the patient finds himself and the world around him unreal and baseless. She seems to be living in an unreal shadow world. Even during the depersonalization state, a person's perceptual ability is not lost. He realizes that this situation is just his military sentiment. But still he cannot free himself from this abnormal condition. The state of isolation from this self can remain unchanged for a long time; Or a recurrence of the condition may occur.

Dissociative depersonalization disorder disrupts the patient's personal life, his personal relationships, his social and professional life. Such disorders do not occur as a symptom of any mental or physical illness or as a result of substance use or as a side effect of any medication. Stress and oppression are entirely responsible for this disorder.

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Dissociative Identity Disorder

 This is currently called dissociative identity disorder. In this disorder the patient's personality is divided into multiple parts and double personality arises. Fractured personalities gain their own uniqueness and self-control. For that, they become automatic. At certain times a particular segment of the personality gains control of the whole personality and this control changes gradually. That is, the individual gradually takes the form of different fragmented personalities. As a result of the change of personality, a radical change takes place in the person. His manners, attire, speech, etc., change in such a way that it is easily visible to others. Each part of the personality has its own memory. As a result, under the control of one part of the personality, the patient completely denies the behavior or the opinion he expresses, the appearance of the other part. In one case the relationship with the patient is established, in another case the relationship changes radically. In the case of many personalities, there is no continuity in the patient's personality, memory and thoughts. As a result, the patient's relationship with others becomes problematic.

Awareness of each other's existence can take different forms between fragmented personalities. Many times the existence of fragmented personalities can be unknown to each other. Again many times the parts of the personality may be aware of the existence of each other. These are called bad-conscious personalities. Awareness of the existence of multiple personalities can often be one-sided. That is, the first fragment in personality is not aware of the second fragment; But the second fragment is aware of the first fragment. Many times, through automatic writing or any other divine power, indirectly interconnectedness can be established between the pieces of personality.