Dissociative disorders occur when people frequently escape reality by suppressing their memories or taking on other identities. This dissociation occurs when a group of normal mental processes becomes separated from other mental processes. Dissociative disorders may occur suddenly or gradually, and may be temporary or chronic in nature.

Dissociation is a normal phenomenon that occurs in every person’s life. For example, people may “lose themselves” in a good book or find themselves daydreaming. However, in some cases people experience dissociation as a means of escaping reality when stress or trauma becomes too great to bear. This process is involuntary and is believed to be a coping mechanism of the mind. Such dissociative disorders occur in about 7 percent of people at some point in their lives, according to the National Mental Health Association.

The four main types of dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, dissociative identity disorder and depersonalization disorder. Before diagnosing these disorders, a physician will perform a complete physical examination and compile a thorough medical history to rule out other potential causes for a patient’s symptoms (e.g., head injuries, sleep deprivation). Various tests may also be performed. On some occasions, techniques such as hypnosis may be used to help identify alternate personalities or repressed memories associated with dissociative disorders.

If a physician suspects a dissociative disorder, the patient may be referred to a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional for further evaluation and treatment. Psychotherapy is the primary treatment for dissociative disorders. In most cases, patients are encouraged to recall any trauma they may have repressed and to work through it.