Dissociative Disorders

🧠 What are Dissociative Disorders?

Dissociative disorders are mental health conditions where a person becomes disconnected from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or even their sense of identity.

If your parent has a dissociative disorder, they may “space out” often, lose time, act like a totally different version of themselves, or not remember things that just happened. It can be scary and confusing—but they’re not doing it on purpose. Dissociation is often the brain’s way of coping with intense trauma or stress.

📋 Common Symptoms

Dissociative symptoms may include:

Zoning out or feeling “numb” emotionally
Forgetting important events or even everyday things
Feeling like they’re watching themselves from outside their body
Having more than one identity or voice that takes control (in rare cases)
Struggling to remember who they are or where they are
Seeming distant, confused, or emotionally detached for long periods

🔍 Types of Dissociative Disorders

There are three main types. Each one is different, but all involve a break in how the mind connects to itself.

Dissociative Amnesia

A person forgets important personal information, often related to trauma. This isn’t regular forgetfulness—it’s memory loss that can’t be explained by anything else.

Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

A person feels detached from their body or the world. They may say things like, “I feel like I’m not real,” or “The world feels fake, like I’m in a dream.”

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

This is the most extreme form. A person has two or more identities or personality states that take turns being in control. They may not remember what happens when another identity is present.

🧬 What Causes Dissociative Disorders?

Most dissociative disorders are caused by severe or repeated trauma, especially during early childhood—like abuse, neglect, or living in an unsafe environment. Dissociation is the brain’s survival tactic—it’s how the mind protects itself when something feels too painful to handle.

🩺 How Is It Diagnosed?

Dissociative disorders are diagnosed by a mental health professional, usually through careful conversations, symptom tracking, and sometimes psychological testing. Because the symptoms can look like other conditions (like PTSD, depression, or epilepsy), it can take time to get a correct diagnosis.

💬 How Is It Treated?

Treatment can be challenging, but healing is possible. It often includes:

Trauma-focused therapy – especially talk therapy that helps process painful memories safely
Grounding techniques – to help someone stay in the present moment
Medication – not to treat dissociation directly, but to help with related symptoms like anxiety or depression
Supportive relationships – with therapists, friends, and family who create a sense of safety

The goal is to help the person feel more whole, present, and in control.

Jordan, Age 15

“Sometimes my mom stares into space and doesn’t respond when I talk. Or she calls me by a different name, like she’s talking to someone else. At first, I thought she was messing with me.

But it turns out she has DID—Dissociative Identity Disorder. She developed it because of things that happened to her when she was really young. Now that she’s getting therapy, things are improving slowly.

I used to feel scared and alone, but I’ve learned not to take it so personally. She’s still my mom. And I have people I can talk to now too.”

💡 Remember

If your parent has a dissociative disorder, it may seem like they disappear emotionally—or even act like someone else entirely. This can be scary. You might feel confused, angry, or abandoned. Those feelings are valid.

But this is a trauma response, not something they’re choosing. They need professional help—and you need and deserve support too.

You’re not alone. Talk to someone you trust, and take care of your own mental health. You matter.