Dr. Gwen Finestone, MFT, PhD, CT - Dissociative Disorders

Dr. Gwen Finestone, MFT, PhD, CT - Specializing in Grief, Loss,Trauma, Dissociation, and Depression

What are the Dissociative Disorders?

Dissociative Amnesia

The predominant disturbance and personality change

of dissociative amnesia is one or more episodes

of inability to recall important personal information,

usually of a traumatic or stressful nature, that is too

extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

Including, but not limited to:

► Personality change due to dissociative amnesia
► Dissociative amnesia in children and adults.

Dissociative Fugue

The predominant disturance is sudden, unexpected

travel away from home or one's customary place of

work, with inability to recall one's past.

Confusion about personal identity or assumption

of a new identity (partial or complete).

Dissociative amnesia and fugue statistics:

► Dissociative amnesia and fugue usually begin in adulthood

► Both conditions show rapid onset and dissipation

► Both conditions are mostly seen in females

Dissociative Identity Disorder

(DID, formerly MPD)

Dissociative Disorder diagnosis reveals a presence
of two or more distinct identities, or personality
states, or ego-states (each with its own relatively

enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, or thinking

about the environment and self.)

At least two of the identities or personality states

recurrently take control of the person's behavior.

Inability to recall important personal information

that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary

forgetfulness.

Although DID is diagnosed almost entirely among women, therapists speculate that it may be equally common among men. However, men tend to be less likely to seek treatment.

Depersonalization Disorder

Persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling

detached from, and as if one is an outside

observer of, one's mental processes or body.

(Life through the eyes of someone with
depersonalization disorder would
feel like one is in a dream).

During the depersonalization experience, reality testing remains intact. Dersonalization Disorder treatments have been successful.
(From the DSM-IV-TR)

Questions people usually ask

during our first phone call

► Where do people seek treatment for DID (formerly MPD)?

Answer: Hopefully, only from therapists who specialize in DID.

► How can a family be impacted by a dissociative disorder?

Answer: Just look at your own life and family for the answer.

► I'm searching for a Dissociative Disorders specialist. Can you help?

Answer: Yes. Or, visit www.ISST-D.org for a list of specialists.

► How is Dissociative Identity Disorder treated?

Answer: Usually through prolonged psychodynamic psychotherapy (aka talk-therapy) that follows three specific stages: stabilization, resolution of trauma issues, and maintenance. In addition, I may use Ego-State Therapy and Soul-Centered Healing. (See page 3, Treatment Techniques for more information.)

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Do you feel like your life is a balancing act,

and that you could fall off at any moment?

Do you know that high intelligence and creativity are correlated with

Dissociative Identity Disorder?

Not everyone has a dozen

Sybil-like, fully-developed personalities that live

separate lives, complete with different names, ages, races, wardrobes, hobbies, allergies, genders,

and sexualities.

Some people have only

one or two personalities that are all-consuming,

and a few emotional states

or ego-states,

that can be temporarily overwhelming.

Some people discover this about themselves early in life;

while others do not come to this self-realization until

much later in life.

* * * * *

Is your past, or your present, a blur?

Would you like to be present

for your life,

to really experience

your own life?

Is your habit of dissociating interfering with the quality of your life,

or your ability to keep a job

or relationships?

Is dissociating depriving

you of a satisfying sex life?

Does your romantic partner complain that you don't seem connected with him/her,

or that you are not present

much of the time?

Do you awake in the morning

wearing different clothes

than you went to bed wearing?

Or do you find dirty dishes

in the sink in the morning?

Have friends mentioned that you sent them an email, or called them, but you don't remember doing it?

Do clothes seem to magically

appear in your closet?

Or does money seem to magically disappear from

your wallet?

Do strangers seem to know you, or call you

by a strange name?

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Here's the truth about dissociative disorders

Not everyone conforms

perfectly to the definitions

and descriptions of the

dissociative disorders.

Sensationalizing books

and movies aside,

not everyone has a

traumatic history of

horrific childhood abuse.

Some folks have ordinary stories, and every person

has their own story.

Truth is, what is unbearable

for one person may be very bearable for another;

what is devastating to

one person may be very tolerable to another.

Each person has their own breaking-point: that moment when life was too much to

bear and a more satisfying

life had to be created.

For some people, a more satisfying life would be one where they were not emotionally present, and,

to that end, they began to leave their body. In that way, they did not have to experience physically or emotionally what was happening to them,

or around them.

For some people, a more satisfying life would be one where they didn't have to be themself, and to that end,

they began to split-off their

sad, angry, or helpless feelings; thereby allowing them to be who or what

they wanted to be.

For some people, a more satisfying life would be

one where they could live

in peace, in a fantasy world

of their own making.

Some children became

so accomplished at

the skill of checking-out,

that, as adults, they have

to work extremely

hard at being present

for their own lives.

_____________

If inner-peace, contentment, and joy in life are your goals,

then it may be time to

ask for professional help.

What to look for in a therapist

1. YEARS of experience working with the various dissociative disorders.

2. YEARS of experience working with trauma, neglect, betrayal, abuse, abandonment, premature adulthood, sexual assault, incest, death, loss, or the specific issues that have affected your life.

3. The willingness to make a long-term commitment to your wellbeing.

Let's be honest,

this isn't going away

over-night.

You didn't get here over-night,

and you won't feel whole

and present over-night.

And, if your diagnosis is DID,

even after the therapy is technically over, you will benefit greatly from the emotional support of someone who knows you,

understands you,

and can walk compassionately with you on your journey.

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