Dissociative disorders are usually triggered by overwhelming stress or trauma.
For example:
- Individuals may have been abused or mistreated during childhood.
- They may have experienced or witnessed traumatic events, such as accidents or disasters.
- Or they may experience inner conflict so intolerable that their mind is forced to separate incompatible or unacceptable information and feelings from conscious thought.
Dissociative disorders are related to trauma and stress-related disorders (acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder).
Individuals with stress-related disorders may have dissociative symptoms, such as amnesia, flashbacks, numbing, and depersonalisation/derealisation.
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