What are dissociative disorders?

Dissociative disorders involve a feeling of being disconnected from your thoughts, feelings, or identity — almost like you’re watching yourself from the outside. For example, you might forget parts of your day or feel like you’re in a dream. These conditions affect up to 5% of people globally. 

Although dissociative disorders are real, they’re often misunderstood or seen as controversial. With the right support, such as therapy, you can learn to manage dissociation and work through the experiences that caused it. A mental health professional can guide you in understanding and addressing dissociative symptoms in a safe, supportive environment.

What is dissociation?

Dissociation happens when you feel disconnected from your thoughts, emotions, body, or surroundings. It’s like mentally “checking out” or feeling like you’re not part of reality. Dissociation often occurs as a coping mechanism in response to overwhelming stress or trauma as the brain separates difficult memories and emotions to protect you. 

Dissociation can look like:

• Detachment: You may feel emotionally numb or as if you’re watching your life from the outside, like a movie.
• Memory loss (amnesia): You might forget parts of your day or important events that happened while you were dissociating, making it hard to recall those times.
• Alters: Some people experience different identities, or “alters.” The brain can create alters to deal with trauma by separating memories, emotions, and behaviors. Alters can feel like entirely separate people, each with distinct names, personalities, voices, and even preferences. They may take on specific roles to protect the person during tough experiences. You might not remember what happens when another alter is in control, as each alter has their own memories. 

Understanding dissociation and its different forms can help you recognize and manage these experiences. If you or someone you know is experiencing dissociation, it’s important to reach out for support from a mental health professional who can help guide you toward healthy coping strategies.

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What types of dissociative disorders are there?

Dissociative disorders are often linked to trauma or stress and involve disruptions in memory, identity, or perception. They can take various forms, each with unique challenges. 

Here are the four main types of dissociative disorders and what they might feel like:

• Dissociative amnesia: Gaps in memory — especially around traumatic or stressful events — can leave you unable to recall significant periods of your life.
• Dissociative identity disorder (DID): You may feel like different identities, or “alters,” exist within you. These alters can have their own names, memories, personalities, and even voices, each taking on specific roles. You might not remember what happens when an alter takes control, leading to memory gaps and a sense of disconnection. 
• Depersonalization/derealization disorder: You might feel detached from your body or thoughts, like you’re watching yourself from the outside. This is a key symptom of depersonalization/derealization disorder, the most common dissociative disorder. Or you might feel like the world around you isn’t real, almost like you’re in a dream.
• Unspecified dissociative disorder: If your dissociative symptoms don’t match any specific dissociative disorder, you may be diagnosed with unspecified dissociative disorder. While the symptoms can vary, they still affect your daily life significantly. 

There’s also an uncommon but challenging symptom of dissociative disorders called dissociative fugue. This involves memory loss and finding yourself in a new place, often without knowing how you got there. 

Each of these disorders can impact your life, but with proper support, understanding, and treatment, you can learn to manage your symptoms.

How serious are dissociative disorders?

Dissociative disorders can have serious psychological and physical effects — especially for those with a history of trauma, like childhood abuse. They’re often linked to conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. And there’s some overlap between dissociative disorders and symptoms of psychosis, like delusions or hallucinations. 

Dissociative disorders can affect how the brain processes memory, emotions, and self-awareness. Key areas impacted are the hippocampus, which stores memories, and the prefrontal cortex, which manages emotions and decisions. Trauma can disrupt these areas, making it harder to feel connected to yourself or reality, and impair memory and emotional processing.

People with dissociative disorders are at a higher risk of self-harm and suicide,* with over 70% of people with DID attempting suicide. Treatment — particularly trauma-focused therapy — is essential to address these challenges and improve overall well-being.

*The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 confidential support through trained crisis counselors. If you or someone you care about is experiencing emotional distress, self-harm, or a suicidal crisis, please call or text 988. For life-threatening emergencies or immediate assistance, call 911.

Other things you should know about dissociative disorders

Dissociative disorders are often confused with other mental health conditions, so it’s important to understand the differences. Dissociative disorders aren’t the same as acute stress disorder, PTSD, or borderline personality disorder. While dissociation can be a symptom of these conditions, dissociative disorders are distinct and have their own set of symptoms. 

There are also misconceptions that dissociative disorders are signs of weakness or that people with these conditions are just seeking attention. However, these conditions are actually linked to trauma, especially from childhood. They’re not caused by a need for attention. Rather, they’re the brain’s response to overwhelming experiences. Proper diagnosis and treatment that focuses on trauma are key for helping people manage dissociative disorders.

With trauma-focused therapy, you can manage your symptoms, process memories and emotions more effectively, and improve daily functioning. Support from a mental health professional can also help you address co-occurring conditions and promote long-term recovery.

Find care with Rula

Dissociation can feel isolating — especially when it’s unclear what’s causing your symptoms. But help is available. With the right treatment, you can begin to understand and manage the impact dissociative symptoms have on your life. Whether you have memory loss, feel detached from yourself, or are experiencing alternate identities, a therapist can help guide you through it. 

Rula has a network of more than 10,000 providers, and you can find one who takes your insurance in just a few clicks. With Rula, you can find an experienced therapist who can support your journey toward healing with the flexibility of live video sessions.

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