Major Psychological Disorder> Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative disorders involve profound disruptions in memory, identity, and perception of reality. These conditions create feelings of unreality, depersonalization, and identity confusion as a mental defense against trauma. Dissociation acts as a severance between ideas and emotions, temporarily blotting out painful experiences.

Dissociative disorders refer to profound losses of identity, memory, intense feelings of unreality, a sense of being depersonalized (Separate from oneself), and uncertainty about one's own identity (Baron-2004).

• Dissociative Amnesia: Significant memory loss without physical cause.
• Dissociative Fugue: Sudden travel with new identity and loss of past memory.
• Dissociative Identity Disorder: Two or more distinct personalities that may not be aware of each other.
• Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder: Feeling detached from oneself or reality.

• Dissociative disorders usually result from severe stress or childhood trauma.
• They occur across cultures and are not caused by brain damage.
• Previously, they were classified as hysterical neuroses (dissociative and conversion types).

• Dissociative disorders affect memory, identity, and sense of reality.
• People may feel detached, confused about identity, or forget important events.
• Main types: Amnesia, Fugue, DID, and Depersonalization/Derealization.
• They are usually caused by severe stress or childhood trauma.
• They are not due to brain damage and occur across cultures.