Signs and symptoms depend on the type of dissociative disorders you have, but may include:  Memory loss (amnesia) of certain time periods, events, people and personal information A sense of being detached from yourself and your emotions A perception of the people and things around you as distorted and unreal A blurred sense of identity Significant stress or problems in your relationships, work or other important areas of your life Inability to cope well with emotional or professional stress Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors  There are three major dissociative disorders defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association:  Dissociative amnesia. The main symptom is memory loss that's more severe than normal forgetfulness and that can't be explained by a medical condition. You can't recall information about yourself or events and people in your life, especially from a traumatic time. Dissociative amnesia can be specific to events in a certain time, such as intense combat, or more rarely, can involve complete loss of memory about yourself. It may sometimes involve travel or confused wandering away from your life (dissociative fugue). An episode of amnesia usually occurs suddenly and may last minutes, hours, or rarely, months or years. Dissociative identity disorder. Formerly known as multiple personality disorder, this disorder is characterized by "switching" to alternate identities. You may feel the presence of two or more people talking or living inside your head, and you may feel as though you're possessed by other identities. Each identity may have a unique name, personal history and characteristics, including obvious differences in voice, gender, mannerisms and even such physical qualities as the need for eyeglasses. There also are differences in how familiar each identity is with the others. People with dissociative identity disorder typically also have dissociative amnesia and often have dissociative fugue. Depersonalization-derealization disorder. This involves an ongoing or episodic sense of detachment or being outside yourself — observing your actions, feelings, thoughts and self from a distance as though watching a movie (depersonalization). Other people and things around you may feel detached and foggy or dreamlike, time may be slowed down or sped up, and the world may seem unreal (derealization). You may experience depersonalization, derealization or both. Symptoms, which can be profoundly distressing, may last only a few moments or come and go over many years.  When to see a doctor Some people with dissociative disorders present in a crisis with traumatic flashbacks that are overwhelming or associated with unsafe behavior. People with these symptoms should be seen in an emergency room. If you or a loved one has less urgent symptoms that may indicate a dissociative disorder, call your doctor. Suicidal thoughts or behavior If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately, go to an emergency room, or confide in a trusted relative or friend. Or contact a suicide hotline. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat. Services are free and confidential.
signs symptoms depend type dissociative disorders have  may include:  memory loss (amnesia) time periods  events  people personal sense being detached emotions perception people distorted unreal blurred sense identity significant stress problems relationships  work important areas life inability cope well emotional professional stress mental health problems  depression  anxiety  suicidal thoughts behaviors  major dissociative disorders defined diagnostic statistical manual mental disorders (dsm-5)  published american psychiatric association:  dissociative amnesia  symptom memory loss that's severe normal forgetfulness can't explained medical condition  can't recall events people life  especially traumatic time  dissociative amnesia can specific events time  intense combat  rarely  can involve complete loss memory yourself  may involve travel confused wandering away life (dissociative fugue)  episode amnesia occurs suddenly may last minutes  hours  rarely  months years  dissociative identity disorder  known multiple personality disorder  disorder characterized "switching" alternate identities  may feel presence people talking living inside head  may feel you're possessed identities  identity may unique name  personal history characteristics  including obvious differences voice  gender  mannerisms physical qualities need eyeglasses  differences familiar identity others  people dissociative identity disorder typically dissociative amnesia dissociative fugue  depersonalization-derealization disorder  involves ongoing episodic sense detachment being — observing actions  feelings  thoughts self distance watching movie (depersonalization)  people may feel detached foggy dreamlike  time may slowed down sped up  world may unreal (derealization)  may experience depersonalization  derealization both  symptoms  can profoundly distressing  may last only moments come years   see doctor people dissociative disorders present crisis traumatic flashbacks overwhelming associated unsafe behavior  people symptoms seen emergency room  loved urgent symptoms may dissociative disorder  call doctor  suicidal thoughts behavior thoughts hurting else  call 911 local emergency number immediately  emergency room  confide trusted relative friend  contact suicide hotline  u s  call text 988 reach 988 suicide & crisis lifeline  24 hours day  days week  lifeline chat  services free confidential
dissociative disorders