Dissociative Trauma Paper

Dissociation can be interpreted as an “emergency defense,” or a “shut off mechanism.” It is an attempt by the individual to prevent overwhelming flooding of consciousness at the time of trauma. The individual subconsciously cannot tolerate being present emotionally during the trauma but cannot control the situation, and protects him or herself from experiencing it in the moment by using dissociation. “Dissociative symptoms are failures of normal neurocognitive functioning and are considered disruptive, because there is a loss of information due to having experiences separated among personalities… The essential feature of the dissociative disorders is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception.”

“The essential feature of the dissociative disorders is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception… Dissociation may differ in presentation for each individual and, more significantly, in its ‘adaptive efficacy’” (Gentile et al., 2013). Because it can present differently in different people it is important for the mental health nurse to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms, because they spend the most time with the patient. “It is important for the psychiatrist to accurately diagnose DDs and also to place the symptoms in perspective with regard to trauma history. Patients who receive treatment interventions that address their trauma-based dissociative symptoms show improved functioning and reduced symptoms” (Gentile et al., 2013). Since their disorder is not always obvious the nurse may be able to identify the signs and relay them to the doctor/ psychiatrist in order for them to explore that

Gentile et al. (2013) says that altered personalities are less likely to occur while in the room with the psychiatrist, maybe because there is a decreased level of stress in this setting or alternatively because the psychiatrist is not inquiring about such symptoms; the personalities usually come out during periods of stress due to the fact that it was why the personalities were created to begin with. The article addressed developmental occurrences and how the personalities may have come to be during these certain developmental stages. “Early maltreatment experiences can produce various outcomes; this is a multifactorial process, which will be managed differently by individuals based on many elements … quality and severity of the maltreatment. The age of the individual at the time of the abuse is also a critical component due to the developmental processes that, under other circumstances, would normally occur at that time” (Gentile et al., 2013). The age at the beginning and the ending of the abuse is significant as it may cover multiple developmental stages spanned by the maltreatment and