Psychiatric diagnosis in the past has not always included a dissociative disorder, such as dissociative identity disorder (DID), depersonalization disorder, dissociative amnesia or dissociative fugue, yet this constellation of illnesses has been reconsidered in recent years. Part of the confusion surrounding these disorders is that they often manifest symptoms associated with other illnesses, such as depression, post traumatic stress syndrome, or eating disorders. Offering treatments for those problems doesn’t generally result in improvements for those with dissociative disorders because the actual underlying disorder isn’t addressed.
People may think of an illness involving multiple personalities when they hear about a “dissociative” disorder, but the term actually covers the four different disorders, which again are dissociative amnesia, fugue (where the person wanders away to start a new life with no memory of the past), dissociative identity disorder (or DID, the one involving multiple personalities), and depersonalization. These are not anxiety disorders, though it’s true that amnesia and fugue frequently result from some kind of trauma, and DID usually develops from ongoing childhood trauma that prevents the child from integrating their personality normally while growing up.
All current treatments for a dissociative disorder will involve psychotherapy to varying degrees, but the disorder involving amnesia will often begin with hypnosis, attempting to restore blocked traumatic memories or recover the person’s real identity. Drug products like Pentothal may also be used to help restore memories. With DID, psychotherapy is almost the only therapy, sifting through the person’s traumas in the past and helping to resolve the different personalities together. However, if the person’s behavior becomes too aggressive or bizarre, then admittance to a mental health treatment center may also be required. Depersonalization is usually resolved entirely with psychotherapy treatments.
Seeing results from mental health treatments for a dissociative disorder may take time and quite a bit of work in many cases. While diagnosis and treatment of dissociative fugue can often bring quick recovery, resolution of traumatic amnesia or depersonalization might take longer. And even if the person receives effective treatment for DID, it can recur over the years, though less so as the person gets older. The work and success rate for these illnesses might discourage some sufferers. However, since the dissociative disorders mimic so many symptoms of other things like depression, or eating or anxiety disorders, it truly is important for them to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
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