Somatoform Disorders Dissociative Disorders Mood Disorders Schizophrenia Summary Dissociative Disorders Dissociative Disorders are psychological malfunctions that result in loss of personality or memory that play a critical role in determining the unique identity of the sufferer. These types of disorders can be caused by a traumatic event such as the death of the loved one or a serious personal or career failure. Separating the part of the personality or memory that is the source of the failure allows a temporary escape from the traumatic event. Sometimes these personalities may know nothing of each other. Dissociative identity disorder cases are extremely rare, but there have been an ever-increasing number of cases reported each year.
Memory loss can also be a trait of dissociative disorders.
With dissociative amnesia, the memory of traumatic events can be completely lost. In addition loss of memory, dissociative amnesia can also involve a loss of identity. Relating to dissociative amnesia, is dissociative fugue which is a condition in which people suddenly leave their homes or residents and move to a new place and even assumes a new identity. When the condition wears off, the person doesn't know where he is or how he got there.