Dissociative disorders typically manifest as a result of being subjected to trauma over a long period, particularly in children who are exposed to long-term abuse. These disorders involve experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. Symptoms can range from amnesia to alternate identities and triggers can exacerbate symptoms.

Dissociative disorder therapy includes several approaches such as psychotherapy and medication. Therapy helps people safely remember and process traumatic experiences, and, in the case of dissociative identity disorder, merge multiple identities into a functional individual. Treatment is vital for individuals to go on and lead productive lives and maintain healthy relationships. Dissociative episodes are treated with a variety of psychotherapies in an effort to reduce symptom recurrence and enhance coping mechanisms.

A person with this disorder is unable to remember details about their personal history, past experiences, or relationships. It can be restricted to specific events such as warfare and in some cases, it can involve total loss of memory.

People who have dissociative fugue momentarily lose their sense of self and abruptly leave their homes or places of employment. They may wander about in a state of confusion and even create new identities.

This disorder occurs when a person experiences the sensation that they are watching themselves from outside their body. They may also believe that the world is not real and they feel numb emotionally and physically.

Because of stigma and shame, dissociative identity disorder (DID) is frequently concealed on purpose. Fragmented aspects of an individual’s personality are not connected to past trauma resulting in the development of different identities that are sporadically assumed either consciously or subconsciously.

The Your Local Psychiatrist NYC team of psychotherapists assist patients in overcoming the trauma that may have contributed to the emergence of this disorder to improve their ability to cope. Dissociative disorder treatment helps people learn techniques to control their emotions, and and deal with associated stress and symptoms. Combined psychotherapy methods and medication for depression or anxiety offers an effective treatment approach.

Treatment for dissociative disorder is designed to directly target the underlying beliefs, patterns, and causes of a patient’s type of disorder. 

Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) work for the patient to understand the causes of their condition, learn and practice techniques to cope with challenging and stressful situations, and confront past traumatic experiences. By disrupting and changing dysfunctional thinking patterns, individuals are better equipped to manage their symptoms and live gratifying lives.