Question

What do you understand by the term ‘dissociation'? Explain its various forms.

Hint:

Learn about the key characteristics of dissociative disorders and how they affect a person's perceptions and memory.

Answer 1

Definition of Dissociation: Dissociation can be understood as a kind of severance between one’s conscious thoughts, memories and emotions. It often happens as a defence against trauma, stress or other intense experiences.
Key Characteristics:
Feeling of Unreality: It often involves a feeling of unreality, estrangement from the self or depersonalization where one feels detached from their own body or surroundings.
Loss of Identity: It can also result in a loss of identity or shift in a person’s sense of self.
Defense Mechanism: It is used as a defence mechanism to protect a person from intense emotional pain.
Types of Dissociative Disorders:
Dissociative Amnesia: This involves an inability to recall important personal information which is too extensive to be explained by normal forgetfulness. This amnesia includes dissociative fugue, where one may unexpectedly travel to another place.
Dissociative Identity Disorder: This disorder is characterised by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states, that take control over a person's behavior.
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder: This disorder includes persistent feelings of being detached from one’s own body (depersonalization) or from one’s surroundings (derealization).