Chapter 15 Section 4 Dissociative Disorders

What are hypothesized causes of dissociative identity disorder?

It is a defense against severe childhood abuse experiences in which identities are developed to protect the self. Media portrayals of DID reinforce that DID is a way to exist in the world. Therapists fascinated by the disorder subtly nudge clients into multiple personalities

2 kinds of dissociative disorders

Two kinds of dissociative disorders are dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder.

dissociative identity disorder

formerly called multiple personality disorder, is the most dramatic, least common, and most controversial dissociative disorder. Individuals with this disorder have two or more distinct personalities or identities. Each identity has its own memories, behaviors, and relationships. One identity dominates at one time; another takes over at another time. Research suggests that a high rate of extraordinarily severe sexual or physical abuse during early childhood is related to the condition The vast majority of individuals with DID are women. Some experts believe that dissociative identity disorder is a social construction—that it represents a category some people adopt to make sense out of their experiences A famous real-life example of dissociative identity disorder (DID) is the "three faces of Eve" case, based on the life of a woman named Chris Sizemore

dissociative amnesia

is a type of amnesia characterized by extreme memory loss that stems from extensive psychological stress. A person experiencing dissociative amnesia still remembers things like how to hail a cab or use a phone

Dissociative Disorders

psychological disorders that involve a sudden loss of memory or change in identity. Under extreme stress or shock, the individual's conscious awareness becomes dissociated (separated or split) from previous memories and thoughts Dissociative disorders often occur in individuals who also show signs of PTSD supported by findings showing lower volume in the hippocampus and amygdala in individuals with dissociative disorders

Dissociation

refers to psychological states in which the person feels disconnected from immediate experience. At the extreme of dissociation are individuals who feel a sense of disconnection persistently.