Dissociation

Dissociation is a mental process of disconnecting from one’s thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. The dissociative disorders that need professional treatment include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, depersonalisation disorder and dissociative identity disorder.
Depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPDR)
Depersonalization – experiences of unreality or detachment from one’s mind, self or body. People may feel as if they are outside their bodies and watching events happening to them.
Derealization – experiences of unreality or detachment from one’s surroundings. People may feel as if things and people in the world around them are not real.
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is associated with overwhelming experiences, traumatic events and/or abuse that occurred in childhood. Dissociative identity disorder was previously referred to as multiple personality disorder. It is characterized by the existence of two or more distinct identities (or “personality states”). The distinct identities are accompanied by changes in behavior, memory and thinking.
Dissociative amnesia
Dissociative amnesia involves not being able to recall information about oneself (not normal forgetting). This amnesia is usually related to a traumatic or stressful event and may be:
localized – unable to remember an event or period of time (most common type)
selective – unable to remember a specific aspect of an event or some events within a period of time
generalized – complete loss of identity and life history (rare)