Dissociative Disorders: Understanding Trauma’s Deepest Defense

Dissociation is often misunderstood. It’s not “spacing out” or daydreaming—it’s a profound psychological response to overwhelming experiences, often rooted in trauma. At CARE Counseling, Inc., we believe that understanding dissociative disorders can empower healing, reduce shame, and bring clarity to those who feel lost inside their own minds.

What Are Dissociative Disorders?

Dissociative Disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by disruptions in memory, identity, consciousness, and perception. These disruptions are not under a person’s control—and they can be frightening, confusing, and deeply isolating.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines several dissociative disorders:

1. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Marked by the presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities, along with memory gaps. These identity states often serve unique functions in managing trauma.

2. Other-Specified Dissociative Disorder (ODSS 1a, 1b)

This category applies to when symptoms characteristic of a dissociative disorder that cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning predominate but do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders in the dissociative disorders diagnostic class.

3. Dissociative Amnesia

Involves the inability to recall important personal information, especially related to stress or trauma. It may include fugue states, where a person may travel or wander with no memory of how or why.

4. Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

Characterized by persistent feelings of being detached from one’s body (depersonalization) or environment (derealization), even though reality testing remains intact.

What Causes Dissociation?

Dissociation is often the mind’s way of surviving overwhelming or repeated trauma, especially during childhood. It allows the brain to “compartmentalize” experiences that are too painful to integrate.

Research shows:

• 90% of people with DID report severe, ongoing childhood trauma (ISSTD, 2011).

• Neuroimaging studies reveal changes in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, all areas involved in memory, emotion regulation, and self-awareness.

• Dissociative symptoms are common in Complex PTSD, often co-occurring with depression, anxiety, and other trauma responses.

Rather than a “disorder,” dissociation can be viewed as a creative survival strategy—but one that can later cause distress when it interferes with daily life and relationships.

Social and Cultural Perspectives

1. Stigma and Misconceptions

Popular media has historically portrayed dissociative disorders—especially DID—in extreme or sensationalized ways. This contributes to fear, skepticism, and shame. Many people with dissociative symptoms fear being labeled as “crazy” or not believed.

At CARE Counseling, Inc., we understand that dissociation is a valid, adaptive trauma response to abnormal circumstances, not a character flaw or attention-seeking behavior.

2. Cultural Interpretations

Not all cultures understand dissociation in Western diagnostic terms. In many spiritual traditions, dissociative experiences may be seen as:

• Spirit possession or ancestral communication

• Trance states or altered consciousness

• Signs of moral or social imbalance

We practice cultural humility, working with—not against—a client’s worldview when exploring dissociative symptoms.

How to Recognize Dissociation

Dissociation can look different for everyone, but common signs include:

• Losing time or experiencing memory gaps

• Feeling like multiple “selves” or internal voices are present

• Emotional numbness or detachment

• Feeling like you’re watching your life from the outside

• Unexplained shifts in behavior, preferences, or handwriting

• “Coming to” in unfamiliar places or situations

• Struggling to recall trauma or personal history

Many people live with these symptoms for years before receiving proper support. You are not alone—and you are not beyond help.

How Therapy Helps

At CARE Counseling, Inc., we offer trauma-informed, phase-based therapy for dissociative symptoms and diagnoses. Our work begins with stabilization—building safety, grounding skills, and trust—before gradually working toward processing trauma and integrating dissociative parts.

Our clinicians are trained in:

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Parts Work

• Somatic and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

• EMDR and Brainspotting

• Trauma-focused CBT and DBT

• Psychoeducation and grounding strategies

We meet each client with compassion, curiosity, and patience, honoring their pace and protective mechanisms.

You Are Not Broken—You Are Adaptive

Living with dissociation can feel confusing, isolating, and overwhelming. But healing is possible. Therapy offers a space to reconnect—with yourself, your memories, and your sense of wholeness.

At CARE Counseling, Inc., we walk alongside individuals navigating dissociative symptoms or formal diagnoses like DID. We believe in your capacity for healing and integration—on your own terms, in your own time.

Your story makes sense. You don’t have to figure it out alone.