Dissociative disorders occur when people have episodes during which they do not experience reality directly. Dissociative disorders may occur suddenly or gradually, and may be temporary or chronic.

Dissociation is a phenomenon that occurs occasionally in most people. For example, people may "lose themselves" in a good book or find themselves daydreaming so intently that they miss everything going on around them. 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. It is only when it becomes so frequent and so disruptive that it interferes in someone's ability to live and to work that it becomes a disorder. 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 physical examination and review the patient's medical history to rule out other potential causes for symptoms (e.g., head injuries, sleep deprivation). Various tests may also be performed.

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. Different types of psychotherapy are used in the treatment of dissociative disorders. It is essential that safety is established and that appropriate skills are taught to the patient before any direct exploration of any potentially traumatic events is approached. Many patients are never able to deal directly with traumatic events, but therapy can help them to be safe and live well with their illness.

Although some dissociative disorders cannot be prevented, any serious symptoms of dissociation, especially in the face of a history of any form of abuse or traumatic experience (e.g., combat, natural disaster) should be treated promptly.