1. Dissociative Disorders
Psychology Grade 12
Ms. Rebecca

2. I. Dissociation
Separation of personality parts or mental processes from conscious thought.
In English: Zoning out
Example: You may be so involved in listening to a Psychology lesson you can’t hear when someone calls your name.

3. A. When is Dissociation a disorder?
When it is used as a way to avoid stressful events or feelings.

4. Examples:
Someone loses their memory of a painful experience (rape, child abuse etc)
Lose memory of identity!

5. II.Types of Dissociative Disorders
A. Dissociative Amnesia- Sudden loss of memory, usually right after a stressful or traumatic event.

6. A. Dissociative Amnesia-
Usually people with Dissociative Amnesia forget events during a period of time around the trauma but sometimes a person may forget ALL prior experience and may be unable to remember his/her name, recognize friends and family or recall personal information.

7. 1. How does it get “fixed”?
Memory is likely to return just as suddenly as it is lost.

8. B. Dissociative Fugue Another type of Dissociative Disorder
1. Multiple personalities
Different personalities may or may not be aware of the others and each personality takes turns controlling the person.

9. B. Dissociative Fugue
2. Each personality is likely to be different from the others in ways like:
- voice
- facial expression
- perceived age
- gender
- physical characteristics

10. B. Dissociative Fugue 3. Why do people get Dissociative Fugue?
Usually severely abused as children

11. 3. Depersonalization Disorder
-Feelings of detachment from one’s mental processes or body. Out of body experience.

12. 3. Depersonalization Disorder
Why does it happen?
Often goes with other psychological disorders
A likely to occur after a stressful event

13. III. Explaining Dissociative Disorders
2 different views
1. Psychoanalitical- people dissociate to repress unacceptable urges
2. Learning- Learn to not thing about disturbing events to avoid feelings of guilt, shame or pain
Dissociate by forgetting painful events! It works! Anxiety is reduced when a trauma is forgotten but……..

14. Homework
Use your notes and book to fill in the Dissociative Disorders worksheet and define
Key terms:
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociation
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative Fugue
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Depersonalization Disorder