Dissosiaatio

Dissosiaatio, or dissociation, refers to a disconnection between a person’s thoughts, memory, identity, consciousness, and perception of the surrounding environment. It is a psychological process that can arise as a defense mechanism in response to overwhelming stress or trauma. Dissociation can range from brief, everyday experiences to more persistent and disabling conditions.

The major dissociative disorders recognized in clinical practice include dissociative amnesia (memory gaps for important personal information, often related to trauma), depersonalization/derealization disorder (persistent feelings of unreality concerning oneself or the world), and dissociative identity disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder, in which two or more distinct identities or states of personality recur. There are also other specified and unspecified dissociative disorders for symptom patterns that do not fit the main categories. Symptoms commonly include memory gaps, a sense of detachment from oneself, identity disruption, and a disrupted sense of reality, often accompanied by distress or impairment.

Causes are typically linked to trauma, especially chronic or early-life trauma, though not everyone exposed to trauma develops dissociation. Neurobiological factors, such as changes in stress-response systems and brain networks involved in memory and self-awareness, may contribute alongside genetic and environmental factors.

Diagnosis relies on clinical evaluation, careful history-taking, and exclusion of medical conditions that could mimic symptoms. Treatment centers on psychotherapy, with approaches such as trauma-focused therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and EMDR. Medications may address comorbid symptoms like depression or anxiety. Early intervention and a stable therapeutic relationship improve prognosis; some individuals experience lasting impairment, while others achieve substantial recovery. In Finnish usage, dissosiaatio is the standard term for this phenomenon.