PSYC 3406 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Dissociative Identity Disorder, Subpersonality, Psychogenic Amnesia

• School: Northeastern University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3406
• Professor: Ann Blumer

Document Summary

Dissociative reactions are the main or only symptoms. People with dissociative disorders do not typically have the hyperarousal, negative emotions, sleep dif culties etc that characterize asd/ptsd. Disruption of identity characterized by two or more distinct personality states, which may be described in some cultures as an experience of possession. Sub-personalities each have a unique set of memories, behaviors, thoughts. & emotions, and each with its own pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about itself or the world. Recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal info, and/or traumatic events: very extensive & confusing, not due to substance abuse. At any given time, one of the personalities dominates the person"s functioning. The host or primary personality appears more often than the others: this is the personality with the person"s given name, host tends to be passive, dependent, depressed & guilt-stricken. How do alters interact: mutually amnesic relationships. Sub-personalities have no awareness of each other: mutually cognizant patterns.