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Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What are dissociative disorders? 

You may be diagnosed with a dissociative disorder if you experience dissociation regularly, and if these episodes of dissociation are severe enough to affect your everyday life. 

You might experience dissociation and find it difficult to cope with even if you don’t have a dissociative disorder. For example it might be a symptom of another mental health problem. You can still seek help for this. 

This section has information on different types of dissociative disorder: 

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) 

Dissociative identity disorder used to be called ‘multiple personality disorder’. 

If you have dissociative identity disorder you will experience severe changes in your identity. Different aspects (states) of your identity may be in control of your behaviour and thoughts at different times. This can happen in various ways: 

  • Each of your identity states may have different patterns of thinking and relating to the world. 
  • Your identity states may come across as different ages and genders. 
  • You may feel you have one ‘main’ part of your identity that feels most like ‘you’ – some people call this a host identity. 
  • The different parts of your identity may have memories or experiences that conflict with each other. 
  • Some people refer to these different parts of your identity as alters or parts. 
  • You might not have control over when different parts of your identity take over. 
  • You may experience amnesia, which means you don’t remember what happens when another part of your identity is in control. 

You can visit the Hong Kong Association Concerning Dissociative Disorders, (HKACDC) website for more information about DID. 

“I have many separate, distinct and unique ‘parts’ of my personality. My ‘parts’ or ‘alters’ collectively add up to the total person that is me… They are each a letter, and I am a sentence.” 

Do I have multiple personalities? 

Dissociative identity disorder is still sometimes called multiple personality disorder (MPD). This is because many people experience the changes in parts of their identity as completely separate personalities in one body. In fact, the parts of your identity are all part of one personality but they are not joined up or working together as a whole. 

Dissociative identity disorder is not a personality disorder. It is the result of a natural way of coping with sustained childhood trauma. Our page on the causes of dissociative disorders has more information. 

Looking after yourself with dissociative identity disorder (DID) DID can make looking after yourself harder. You might find that different parts of your identity have different needs. You may need to use different techniques for coping and looking after yourself, depending on which part of your identity is in control. If something isn’t working for you, or doesn’t feel possible just now, you can try something else, or come back to it another time. 

For more information about coping with a dissociative disorder, see our page on self-care. 

Other dissociative disorders 

There are a number of other dissociative disorders. The diagnosis you are given will depend on the symptoms you experience most and how these affect your life. 

These are the main symptoms or characteristics of each disorder: 

If you have… You will… 
depersonalisation or derealisation disorder  experience regular depersonalisation or derealisation. 
dissociative amnesia be unable to remember important information about who you are, your life history or specific events.
dissociative amnesia with fugue experience a state of mind where you forget everything about who you are (a fugue). In the fugue you may travel to a new location and act like a different person in a different life. 
other specified dissociative disorder (OSDD)  have dissociative symptoms that don’t fit into any other diagnosis. The person making your diagnosis will explain why your symptoms don’t fit into any other diagnosis. 
unspecified dissociative disorder (UDD) have dissociative symptoms that don’t fit into any other diagnosis but the person making your diagnosis hasn’t explained why not or doesn’t have enough information to make a full diagnosis (for example in an emergency). 

Other mental health problems 

Many people with dissociative disorders have other mental health problems too. These can include: 

  • borderline personality disorder 
  • depression 
  • anxiety and panic attacks 
  • suicidal feelings 
  • hearing voices 
  • OCD. 

They may be related to dissociation or they could be a separate problem.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What are dissociative disorders?

What are dissociative disorders? 

You may be diagnosed with a dissociative disorder if you experience dissociation regularly, and if these episodes of dissociation are severe enough to affect your everyday life. 

You might experience dissociation and find it difficult to cope with even if you don't have a dissociative disorder. For example it might be a symptom of another mental health problem. You can still seek help for this. 

This section has information on different types of dissociative disorder: 

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) 

Dissociative identity disorder used to be called 'multiple personality disorder'. 

If you have dissociative identity disorder you will experience severe changes in your identity. Different aspects (states) of your identity may be in control of your behaviour and thoughts at different times. This can happen in various ways: 

  • Each of your identity states may have different patterns of thinking and relating to the world. 
  • Your identity states may come across as different ages and genders. 
  • You may feel you have one 'main' part of your identity that feels most like 'you' - some people call this a host identity. 
  • The different parts of your identity may have memories or experiences that conflict with each other. 
  • Some people refer to these different parts of your identity as alters or parts. 
  • You might not have control over when different parts of your identity take over. 
  • You may experience amnesia, which means you don't remember what happens when another part of your identity is in control. 

You can visit the Hong Kong Association Concerning Dissociative Disorders, (HKACDC) website for more information about DID. 

“I have many separate, distinct and unique ‘parts’ of my personality. My ‘parts’ or ‘alters’ collectively add up to the total person that is me... They are each a letter, and I am a sentence.” 

Do I have multiple personalities? 

Dissociative identity disorder is still sometimes called multiple personality disorder (MPD). This is because many people experience the changes in parts of their identity as completely separate personalities in one body. In fact, the parts of your identity are all part of one personality but they are not joined up or working together as a whole. 

Dissociative identity disorder is not a personality disorder. It is the result of a natural way of coping with sustained childhood trauma. Our page on the causes of dissociative disorders has more information. 

Looking after yourself with dissociative identity disorder (DID) DID can make looking after yourself harder. You might find that different parts of your identity have different needs. You may need to use different techniques for coping and looking after yourself, depending on which part of your identity is in control. If something isn't working for you, or doesn't feel possible just now, you can try something else, or come back to it another time. 

For more information about coping with a dissociative disorder, see our page on self-care. 

Other dissociative disorders 

There are a number of other dissociative disorders. The diagnosis you are given will depend on the symptoms you experience most and how these affect your life. 

These are the main symptoms or characteristics of each disorder: 

If you have... You will... 
depersonalisation or derealisation disorder  experience regular depersonalisation or derealisation. 
dissociative amnesia be unable to remember important information about who you are, your life history or specific events.
dissociative amnesia with fugue experience a state of mind where you forget everything about who you are (a fugue). In the fugue you may travel to a new location and act like a different person in a different life. 
other specified dissociative disorder (OSDD)  have dissociative symptoms that don't fit into any other diagnosis. The person making your diagnosis will explain why your symptoms don't fit into any other diagnosis. 
unspecified dissociative disorder (UDD) have dissociative symptoms that don't fit into any other diagnosis but the person making your diagnosis hasn't explained why not or doesn't have enough information to make a full diagnosis (for example in an emergency). 

Other mental health problems 

Many people with dissociative disorders have other mental health problems too. These can include: 

  • borderline personality disorder 
  • depression 
  • anxiety and panic attacks 
  • suicidal feelings 
  • hearing voices 
  • OCD. 

They may be related to dissociation or they could be a separate problem.