INTRODUCTION
Dissociative Disorders are a group of conditions defined as psychological
disturbances that impact an individual’s ability to function and closely
overlap with psychotic disorders.
These include disturbances affecting:
Memory
Motor Control
Concept of Identity
Behaviours
Emotions
Perceptions
The symptoms of a dissociative disorder usually first develop as a
response to a traumatic event, such as abuse or military combat, to
keep those memories under control.
Stressful situations can worsen symptoms and cause problems with
functioning in everyday activities.
However, the symptoms a person experiences will depend on the
type of dissociative disorder that a person has.
TYPES OF DISSOCIATIVE DISORDER
DSM-5
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
Dissociative Amnesia (Fugue)
Depersonalization/ Derealization Disorder
Other Specified Dissociative Disorder
Unspecified Dissociative Disorder
ICD-10
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative Fugue
Dissociative Stupor
Trance and Possession Disorders
Dissociative Motor Disorders
Dissociative Convulsions
Dissociative Anaesthesia and Sensory Loss
Mixed Dissociative (Conversion) Disorders
Other Dissociative (Conversion) Disorders:-
Ganser Syndrome
Multiple Personality
Psychogenic: Confusion and Twilight State
Dissociative (Conversion) Disorder
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative amnesia involves not being able to recall information about
oneself (not normal forgetting).
Dissociative amnesia is associated with having experiences of
childhood trauma, and particularly with experiences of emotional
abuse and emotional neglect.
The main symptom is memory loss that's more severe than normal
forgetfulness and that can't be explained by a medical condition.
Dissociative amnesia can be specific to events in a certain time, such
as intense combat, or more rarely, can involve complete loss of
memory about yourself.
This amnesia is usually related to a traumatic or stressful event and may be:
Localized: inability to remember all events occurring during a circumscribed
period of time.
Selective: inability to remember specific events occurring during a
circumscribed period of time.
Generalized: loss of memory encompasses everything, including one’s
identity.
Continuous: inability to recall events subsequent to a specific point in time
through the present.
Systematized: inability to recall memories related to a certain category of
information, e.g. memories related to an individual’s father.
Dissociative fugue (formerly called psychogenic fugue) is a psychological
state in which a person loses awareness of their identity or other important
autobiographical information and also engages in some form of unexpected
travel.
People who experience a dissociative fugue may suddenly find themselves
in a place, such as the beach or at work, with no memory of travelling
there.
The DSM-5 refers to dissociative fugue as a state of “bewildered
wandering.”
Dissociative Fugue
Formerly known as Mul
3. 1 2 3
6 5 4
7 8 9
Introduction What is Dissociative
Disorder?
Types of
Dissociative
Disorder
Assessment of
Dissociative
Disorder
Causes of
Dissociative
Disorder
Prevalence of
Dissociative
Disorder
Psychological
Management of
Dissociative Disorder
Take Home Message References
5. Dissociative Disorders are a group of conditions defined as psychological
disturbances that impact an individual’s ability to function and closely
overlap with psychotic disorders.
These include disturbances affecting:
a) Memory
b) Motor Control
c) Concept of Identity
d) Behaviours
e) Emotions
f) Perceptions
6. The symptoms of a dissociative disorder usually first develop as a
response to a traumatic event, such as abuse or military combat, to
keep those memories under control.
Stressful situations can worsen symptoms and cause problems with
functioning in everyday activities.
However, the symptoms a person experiences will depend on the
type of dissociative disorder that a person has.
11. Dissociative amnesia involves not being able to recall information about
oneself (not normal forgetting).
Dissociative amnesia is associated with having experiences of
childhood trauma, and particularly with experiences of emotional
abuse and emotional neglect.
The main symptom is memory loss that's more severe than normal
forgetfulness and that can't be explained by a medical condition.
Dissociative amnesia can be specific to events in a certain time, such
as intense combat, or more rarely, can involve complete loss of
memory about yourself.
12. This amnesia is usually related to a traumatic or stressful event and may be:
a) Localized: inability to remember all events occurring during a circumscribed
period of time.
b) Selective: inability to remember specific events occurring during a
circumscribed period of time.
c) Generalized: loss of memory encompasses everything, including one’s
identity.
d) Continuous: inability to recall events subsequent to a specific point in time
through the present.
e) Systematized: inability to recall memories related to a certain category of
information, e.g. memories related to an individual’s father.
13. Dissociative fugue (formerly called psychogenic fugue) is a psychological
state in which a person loses awareness of their identity or other important
autobiographical information and also engages in some form of unexpected
travel.
People who experience a dissociative fugue may suddenly find themselves
in a place, such as the beach or at work, with no memory of travelling
there.
The DSM-5 refers to dissociative fugue as a state of “bewildered
wandering.”
Dissociative Fugue
14. Formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder.
Two or more distinct identities or personalities are present and recurrently
take control of the individual’s behavior.
There is an inability to recall personal information while the patient is in at
least one of the distinct identities.
The primary and alternative identities may or may not be aware of the
existence or experiences of one another.
Dissociative Identity Disorder
15. Depersonalization: Feelings of unreality or of being detached from one’s
own mind, body or self. It is as if one is an observer of rather than a
participant in their own life events.
Derealization: Feelings of unreality or of being detached from one’s
surroundings. People and things may not seem real.
Depersonalization/ Derealization Disorder
16. The symptoms of dissociative stupor are difficult and complicated to
resolve.
A person experiencing dissociative stupor disorder cannot feel external
pain and cannot move, but they are not unconscious.
Dissociative Stupor
17. Disorders in which there is a temporary loss of the sense of personal
identity and full awareness of the surroundings.
It is defined as a mental state in which the individual is not reflectively
conscious of mental contents and/or of salient features of the environment
for a prolonged period of time.
Trance and Possession Disorders
18. Conversion disorder affect voluntary motor or sensory function suggesting
a neurological or other medical condition, but they are inconsistent with
known neurological or musculoskeletal pathologies.
Individuals with conversion disorder do not intentionally produce or feign
their symptoms. Instead, the symptoms are due to an unconscious
expression of a psychological conflict or need.
The symptoms are often reinforced by social support from family and
friends or by avoiding underlying emotional stress.
Conversion Disorder
20. The prevalence of dissociative disorders is how common these disorders
are in a given population. In industrialized nations, the prevalence of
dissociative disorders is estimated at 2.4% of the population.
Dissociative disorders can develop in a wide variety of people and at any
point in life.
One commonality is that they usually develop in response to traumatic life
events.
Nearly half of all American adults exhibit symptoms of a dissociative
disorder for a short period in their lives.
21. Only 2% of those adults develop a chronic dissociative disorder.
In clinical settings (inpatient and outpatient psychiatric clinics), the prevalence
of dissociative disorders is estimated at nearly 10%.
People who use substances, female prostitutes and exotic dancers report the
highest rates of dissociative disorders compared to members of the general
population.
Women are disproportionately impacted by dissociative disorders.
Dissociative disorders commonly develop before the age of 20.
24. The main biological factors that trigger dissociative amnesia are an excessive
arousal of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdalae:
The prefrontal cortex is a structure, which integrates internal and external
experience. In the case of an excessive arousal, its functions become deregulated,
which results in the inability to register the received stimuli.
The hippocampus is a very flexible structure, yet highly vulnerable. As a result of
the exposure to stress factors, stress hormones are secreted, which leads to an
arousal of the hippocampus. Too rapid or too long secretion of stress hormones
may lead to an excessive arousal of the hippocampus, which may then lead to
hippocampus damage.
Meanwhile, the amygdalae primarily regulate the intensity of an emotional
reaction to a traumatic event, and hence affect the arousal of other brain
structures.
25.
Some of the reasons for the development of dissociative disorders are:
Emotional, physical or sexual abuse
Loss
Trauma in early childhood
Accidents
Natural disasters
War
Psychological Factors
26. Emotional, Physical or Sexual Abuse: Approximately 90 percent of cases
of dissociative disorder involve some form of long-term abuse.
The theory is that, if a person experiences trauma for a long enough period
of time, that person might dissociate from the self in order to avoid the
emotional, physical and mental distress caused by the trauma.
Dissociation is more likely to occur if the trauma is at the hands of
someone the individual knows or trusts. If this is the case, this could
explain the high percentage of people who have dissociative identity
disorder as a result of sexual or physical abuse from a young age.
27. Loss of a Loved One: Losing loved ones creates inner turmoil for most people.
When a loved one is lost under violent circumstances, or when the individual left
behind is unable to cope with the loss for one reason or another, the degree of
grief can lead the person to dissociate and potentially develop an alternate identity
to deal with the loss.
Again, this is more likely to occur in childhood, when loss of a parent or other
caregiver leaves the child susceptible, frightened, or somehow victimized.
However, it can also happen to adults if the loss occurs under violent
circumstances or as the result of an accident, especially if the individual feels that
the accident or circumstances were somehow the result of the individual’s actions
or behaviour. Guilt can be a powerful source of dissociation.
28. Trauma in Early Childhood: Children who experience trauma, particularly at a
very young age, are susceptible to developing dissociative disorder.
Due to their dependence on adults for certain levels of security and safety, a child
is much less able to get away from abuse, natural disasters, war, or other traumas.
As a result, the only escape for these children is through dissociation, which can
then lead to developing alternate identities as well.
This can be magnified if the source of the trauma is someone the child trusts, such
as a family member who is sexually abusing the child. The struggle between the
need for trust and the need to escape can result in the child seeking refuge in the
creation of an impartial observer who doesn’t feel the fear, anxiety and pain felt
by the victim of the abuse.
29. Accidents: Sometimes, rather than a prolonged trauma, a short-term but
intense trauma can bring on the symptoms of dissociative disorder.
For Example, a highly graphic or traumatic accident could cause a person
to need to escape the scene in whatever way possible, which could lead to
dissociation. This can be especially true when personal loss or fear for
one’s life is a factor, or if the person feels some level of culpability for the
accident.
Sometimes, the development of mental health disorders, particularly as
related to trauma, can be a sudden and urgent matter.
30. Natural Disasters: Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, destructive storms,
volcanoes, and floods, among others, have been known to lead to long-term
trauma and PTSD.
In addition, especially in cases where the disaster results in a high level of loss
of life, or there is long-term suffering or loss that extends for long periods due
to inability to rescue or help the suffering, a person may try to separate from
feelings of loss, suffering, fear, and hopelessness by taking the position of
observing the situation from “outside.”
Interestingly, trauma from natural disasters tends to occur at a lower level than
human-caused trauma. Nevertheless, the widespread death and destruction
from these types of disasters can lead to dissociation in some instances.
31. War: It is already well known that soldiers and others with firsthand experience
of war are at risk for conditions related to trauma, such as post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
However, studies of Vietnam veterans, such as one from the Journal of
Contemporary Psychotherapy, have demonstrated that combat veterans can also
struggle with dissociative disorders. In fact, PTSD and dissociative identity
disorder have been found to coexist in some cases.
Similarly, civilians caught up in the trauma of conflict can experience dissociation
that leads to the disorder, particularly if they experience a great deal of prolonged
violence or are exposed to it at a young age.
34. The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) is a psychological self-
assessment questionnaire that measures dissociative symptoms.
The DES has 28 items.
It assess amnesia, absorption, identity alteration and
depersonalization/derealization.
Dissociative Experiences Scale
(DES)
35. The MID is a 218-item, self-administered, multiscale instrument that
comprehensively assesses the phenomenological domain of
pathological dissociation and diagnoses the dissociative disorders.
The MID measures 14 major facets of pathological dissociation; it has
23 dissociation diagnostic scales that simultaneously operationalized:
a) the subjective/ phenomenological domain of pathological dissociation
b) the hypothesized dissociative symptoms of dissociative identity disorder.
Multi-Dimensional Inventory of Dissociation
(MID)
36. The DIS-Q is a self-report questionnaire for the assessment of dissociation.
The DIS-Q is comprised of 63 items with a five-point Likert scale, and is
designed to contain 4 subscales:
a) identity confusion/fragmentation, 25 items
b) loss of control over behaviour, 18 items
c) amnesia, 14 items
d) absorption, 6 items.
Dissociation Questionnaire
(DIS-Q)
37. Child
Dissociative
Checklist
(CDC)
The CDC is a tool which compiles observations
by an adult observer regarding a child's
behaviours on a 20 item list.
Behaviours which occur in the present and for
the last 12 months are included.
Scores of 12 or more can be considered
tentative indications of sustained pathological
dissociation.
38. The A-DES is a public domain 30-item self report instrument appropriate for
those aged ten to twenty-one.
It is a screening tool that fits an adolescent's phase-appropriate development.
Its items survey dissociative amnesia, absorption and imaginative involvement
(including confusion between reality and fantasy), depersonalization,
derealization, passive influence/interference experiences and identity alteration.
Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES)
39. The Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (DDIS) is a highly
structured interview that makes DSM-5 diagnoses of somatic symptom
disorder, borderline personality disorder and major depressive disorder, as
well as all the dissociative disorders.
It inquires about positive symptoms of schizophrenia, secondary features of
DID, extrasensory experiences, substance abuse and other items relevant to
the dissociative disorders.
It consists of 132 items, divided into 16 categories.
Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (DDIS)
40. The Shutdown-Dissociation Scale was designed as a structured interview
to allow researchers, and clinicians who have expertise in trauma-related
illness, to assess the risk for dissociation in a patient.
It is a 4-point, 13 items scale. A sum score of ≥ 16 may be applied to
classify the dissociative subtype in the presence of PTSD, and a sum score
of 8 indicates pathological dissociative symptoms.
Shutdown Dissociation Scale (Shut-D)
41. The MDI is a 30-item self-report test of
dissociative symptomatology.
It is fully standardized and normed, and
measures six different type of dissociative
response:
a) Disengagement
b) Depersonalization
c) Derealization
d) Emotional Constriction/Numbing
e) Memory Disturbance
f) Identity Dissociation
Multiscale
Dissociation
Inventory
(MDI)
42. This screening test is designed to
determine whether one have
experienced signs of depersonalization
and may be at risk for a dissociative
disorder.
It consists of 18 items; 15 items are of
6-point rating and 3 items are of binary
nature.
Steinberg
Depersonalization Test
43. This diagnostic interview is specific to the assessment of DSM-IV
dissociative disorders such as dissociative amnesia, depersonalization
disorder, dissociative disorder not otherwise specified.
Clinical applications, including the SCID-D-R's utility for psychological
and forensic evaluations, treatment planning, differential diagnosis, and
evaluation of malingering, are reviewed.
Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociative Disorders-
Revised (SCID-D-R)
46. There is growing evidence that the most appropriate treatment for dissociative
disorder is psychotherapy, yielding positive results.
Psychotherapy is the cornerstone of a multidisciplinary treatment plan for
dissociative disorders and other trauma-related disorders and must be incorporated
into the interventional strategy; whether the mode of psychotherapy is supportive
or psychodynamic in nature, or some combination of various approaches, the
treatment must be based on the quality and acuity of the patient’s symptoms.
Psychotherapy uses self-reflection and self-evaluation while the work in the room
is achieved due to the therapeutic alliance and inter-relationship with the
psychotherapist.
47. Different psychotherapies are used to treat dissociative episodes to
decrease symptom frequency and improve coping strategies for the
experience of dissociation.
There are many overlapping treatments for each disorder.
48. • Psychotherapy: hypnosis; techniques to
retrieve lost memories
Dissociative Amnesia
and Dissociative Fugue
• Psychotherapy: techniques to integrate
personality states
Dissociative Identity
Disorder
• Psychotherapy: cognitive behavioural
therapy techniques focus on becoming more
aware of one’s body and surroundings
Depersonalization-
Derealization Disorder
49. Every treatment is developed for
an individual on a case-by-case
basis
Often, the presence of a co-
occurring condition dictates the
type of therapy for these
individuals
HOWEVER
51. The goal of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is to recognize negative
thoughts and to teach coping strategies. Cognitive behaviour therapy
approaches to dissociative patients (DD) are well known.
The goals of treatment for dissociative disorders are to help the patient
safely recall and process painful memories, develop coping skills, and, in
the case of dissociative identity disorder, to integrate the different identities
into one functional person.
52. Generally, when CBT as therapy is undertaken, it is divided into
three phases:
Initial Phase
Middle Phase
Termination Phase
53. Initial Phase:
The initial phase, focuses on establishing rapport with the patient, detailed
assessment, psychoeducation, clarification of goals of therapy, duration,
treatment plan, etc..
The collaboration of patient and family members is emphasized (when
needed) to ensure the success of therapy.
55. Patient is given psychoeducation about the cognitive behavioural model of
dissociation which suggests that:
a) the onset is attributable to single or multiple events in the patient’s recent
or distal past,
b) that once triggered, they are maintained by a combination of behavioural,
cognitive, affective, physiological and social factors (including social
reinforcement from well-intentioned others),
c) that a primary response is fear and anxiety, leading to a cycle of increasing
avoidance and reduction in daily functioning.
Psychoeducation
56. The patient is told the importance and potential benefits of maintaining
self- monitoring diaries.
Also, graded exposure diary, which tracks exposure to previously avoided
activities/situations, thought diary, which helps to identify and to challenge
unhelpful/negative thoughts, and monitor progress and identify areas of the
difficulty of concern.
Self-Monitoring
57. Short term goals are identified that the patient and family would like to
achieve (particularly in relation to situations that they have been avoiding).
The goals are realistic and achievable, including enjoyable activities as
well as those which are currently anxiety- provoking.
Setting Goals
58. Patients are taught distraction and refocusing when negative events occur.
For Example: focussing on the environment and concentrating on specific
details of objects around them, rather than focussing on internal stimuli (as
counting backwards from 100, doing a crossword or word puzzle).
Distraction and Refocusing
59. Relaxation is taught to the patients; how the vicious cycle is created when
stress leads to hyperventilation and then to anxiety symptoms, and the
ways in which this cycle can be broken.
Relaxation and Breathing Techniques
60. Unhelpful negative thinking styles are discussed in the sessions and
common thinking errors are identified.
Patients are helped to challenge negative thoughts that seems to be relevant
in maintenance of symptoms.
Addressing Unhelpful Thoughts
61. Problem-solving techniques are used to identify ways in which
stressful situations could be managed more effectively.
Problem-Solving
62. Family members are explained the technique of differential
reinforcement, so that they can be used whenever problematic
behaviour displays, i.e., to reinforce positive behaviours by rewards
and to negatively reinforce negative behaviours by punishment or
taking away rewards.
Differential Reinforcement
63. The rationale of graded exposure is also explained in therapy sessions i.e.,
repeated exposure to a hierarchy of feared situations enables patient to
tolerate anxiety and helps in identification of areas of current avoidance
and to specify when they will undertake exposure, for how long and how
often.
Addressing Avoidance (Graded Exposure)
64. Termination Phase:
In this phase progress is reviewed, identifying areas of change as well as
any areas which remain problematic.
A behavioural contract is developed, promoting differential reinforcement
of problem behaviours and to follow them consistently.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy in
which a structured approach is used to address past, present and future
aspects of disturbing memories.
This rather complex therapeutic intervention incorporates a number of
elements common to a number of cognitive behavioural approaches, but in
addition includes a unique practice of having patients hold in mind an
image of a traumatic event in their lives while simultaneously tracking the
therapist's finger as it moves back and forth across the patient's visual
field.
70. It is a form of psychotherapy that helps people address and
process traumatic life experiences and systematically facilitate
adaptive responses to the conflicts created.
It is a psychotherapeutic technique that engages clients in
traditional elements of therapeutic methods which are organized
in a unique way.
71. Techniques involved are:
History and treatment planning, where evaluation and assessment of targets of
reprocessing that are selected based on past and present experience and concerns
about future.
Therapeutic alliance is built and the patient is explained the process of the treatment.
This phase also is used to ensure that the patient has the emotional tools to manage
the painful emotions that may emerge.
Assessment of worst moment of the target event and the accompanying negative and
positive cognitions.
Evaluating the validity of the desired cognition and emotions present. The level of
emotional distress experienced as the image is reimagined and emotions are
experienced along with physical symptoms.
72. The Process of Desensitization involves:
Therapist guided lateral eye movements and substitute activities in the
patient, in order to process the target picture, emotion, physical symptoms
and cognitions.
Once the process of desensitization is achieved, a positive/healthier
cognition is paired with eye movement.
Once entire processing is achieved, the patient is asked to focus on the
body and closure is brought about when the therapist debriefs the patient.
77. Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBT) is a modified form of cognitive therapy
that incorporates mindfulness practices such as meditation and breathing
exercises.
Mindfulness interventions teach skills that facilitate disengaging from
cognitive routines and accepting internal experience.
The MBT program is a group intervention that lasts eight weeks. During
these eight weeks, there is a weekly course, which lasts two hours.
However, much of the practice is done outside of classes, where the
participant uses guided meditations and attempts to cultivate mindfulness
in their daily lives.
78. Being mindful is becoming aware and non-judgmentally accepting towards
the present moment experiences.
This is contradictory to the state of experiential avoidance seen among
patients with dissociative disorders.
Mindfulness can help predict and control dissociation through building
awareness of dissociative processes.
Interventions based on mindfulness may thus, be useful in targeting
dissociative pathology and promoting adaptive functioning.
83. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a cognitive behavioural treatment
that was originally developed to treat chronically suicidal individuals
diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD).
The term “dialectical” means a synthesis or integration of opposites. The
primary dialectic within DBT is between the seemingly opposite strategies
of acceptance and change.
DBT includes four behavioural skill modules, with two acceptance-
oriented skills (mindfulness and distress tolerance) and two change-
oriented skills (emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness).
84. DBT is divided into four stages of treatment, defined by the severity of the client’s behaviours.
In Stage 1, the patient is miserable and their behaviour is out of control. The goal is for the
patient to move from being out of control to achieving behavioural control.
In Stage 2, they’re living a life of quiet desperation: their behaviour is under control but
they continue to suffer. The goal is to help the patient move from a state of quiet
desperation to one of full emotional experiencing.
In Stage 3, the challenge is to learn to live: to define life goals, build self-respect, and find
peace and happiness. The goal is that the patient leads a life of ordinary happiness and
unhappiness.
For some people, a Stage 4 is needed: finding a deeper meaning. The goal is for the patient
to move from a sense of incompleteness towards a life that involves an ongoing capacity
for experiences of joy and freedom.
TREATMENT STAGES
85. Many people with dissociative disorder struggle with impulsive
behaviours, including self-injury, eating disorders and substance abuse.
The distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills taught in DBT can help
people regain control and decrease these harmful behaviours.
They can also learn the skills, which can be useful for systems that have
destructive parts.
89. Biofeedback is a mind-body technique that involves using visual or
auditory feedback to gain control over involuntary bodily functions.
This may include gaining voluntary control over heart rate, muscle tension,
blood flow, pain perception and blood pressure.
This process involves being connected to a device with sensors that
provide feedback about specific aspects of your body.
90. The goal of biofeedback is often to make subtle changes to the body that
result in a desired effect.
This might include relaxing certain muscles slowing heart rate or
respiration or reducing feelings of pain.
By doing this, people are often able to improve their physical, emotional
and mental health.
For Example: biofeedback can also be used to help people better manage
the symptoms of a condition.
95. Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is
a trance-like state in which one has heightened focus and
concentration.
Hypnotherapy can be an effective method for coping with stress and
anxiety.
96. Hypnosis typically involves an introduction to the procedure during which
the subject is told that suggestions for imaginative experiences will be
presented.
A hypnotic procedure is used to encourage and evaluate responses to
suggestions.
When using hypnosis, one person (the subject) is guided by another (the
hypnotist) to respond to suggestions for changes in subjective experience,
alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought or behaviour.
Persons can also learn self-hypnosis, which is the act of administering
hypnotic procedures on one's own.
97.
98.
99.
100. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster
self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote
insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and
advance societal and ecological change.
Art therapy engages the mind, body and spirit in ways that are distinct
from verbal articulation alone.
Kinaesthetic, sensory, perceptual and symbolic opportunities invite
alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can
circumvent the limitations of language.
101. Art therapy has been used in a variety of traumatic experiences, including
disaster relief and crisis intervention.
Some suggested strategies include: assessing for distress or posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), normalizing feelings, modelling coping skills,
promoting relaxation skills, establishing a social support network, and
increasing a sense of security and stability.
Art therapy may alleviate trauma-induced emotions. It is also likely to
increase trauma survivor’s sense of empowerment and control by
encouraging children to make choices in their artwork.
104. Music Therapy—A type of expressive arts therapy that uses music to
improve and maintain the physical, psychological, and social well-being of
individuals—involves a broad range of activities, such as listening to
music, singing and playing a musical instrument.
Music therapy can both assess and enhance cognitive, social, emotional
and motor functioning.
The benefit of a particular type of music will often depend on an
individual's preferences and the condition experienced by that individual.
To achieve success with music therapy, a therapist will likely need
to ensure the musical preferences of the individual in treatment.
105. The intervention methods employed in music therapy can be roughly
divided into active and receptive techniques.
When a person is making music, whether by singing, chanting, playing
musical instruments, composing, or improvising music, that person is using
active techniques.
Receptive techniques, on the other hand, involve listening to and
responding to music, such as through dance or the analysis of lyrics.
Active and receptive techniques are often combined during treatment, and
both are used as starting points for the discussion of feelings, values, and
goals.
112. Dissociative disorders are characterized by an involuntary escape from reality;
characterized by a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness and
memory.
Symptoms and signs of dissociative disorders include: Significant memory loss of
specific times, people and events; Out-of-body experiences, such as feeling as
though you are watching a movie of yourself; Mental health problems such as
depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide; A sense of detachment from your
emotions or emotional numbness; A lack of a sense of self-identity, etc.
People from all age groups and racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds can
experience a dissociative disorder.
113. Most mental health professionals believe that the underlying cause of
dissociative disorders is chronic trauma in childhood.
Examples of trauma included repeated physical or sexual abuse, emotional
abuse or neglect.
Unpredictable or frightening family environments may also cause the child
to ‘disconnect’ from reality during times of stress.
It seems that the severity of the dissociative disorder in adulthood is
directly related to the severity of the childhood trauma.
114. Various assessment tools are available for the purpose of diagnosis,
measuring level of severity and management process.
Over the years, course of psychotherapy for the treatment of dissociative
disorder has evolved.
The Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitized
Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Hypnosis,
etc. are considered the most significant type of psychological management
for dissociative disorder.
Various research works indicated that such management strategies brings
about more powerful, significant and long lasting effects.
115.
Abnormal Psychology by Neale & Davison
Introduction to Psychology by Atkinson & Hilgard
Synopsis of Psychiatry by Kaplan & Sadock
REFERENCES
116. Ana I. Gonzalez-Vazquez,1,* Lucía Rodriguez-Lago,2 Maria T. Seoane-Pillado,3 Isabel Fernández,4 Francisca García-Guerrero,5 and Miguel A.
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