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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 treatments can help? 

This section has information on treatments which may be able to help if you have a dissociative disorder. 

Can I recover from a dissociative disorder? 

Yes – if you have the right diagnosis and treatment, there is a good chance you will recover. This might mean that you stop experiencing dissociative symptoms and any separate parts of your identity merge to become one sense of self. 

Not everyone will stop experiencing dissociative symptoms completely but treatment can help you feel more in control of your life and your identity. Some people find that being able to dissociate is comforting and don’t feel ready to stop dissociating completely. 

Talking therapy 

Talking therapies are the recommended treatment for dissociative disorders. Counselling or psychotherapy will help you explore traumatic events in your past, help you understand why you dissociate and develop alternative coping mechanisms. It can also help you manage your emotions and your relationships. 

“Slowly my other parts are telling me about their memories of my abuse and I am telling them about my life now and, bit by bit, we are piecing things together and working through it with the help of counselling.” 

Accessing therapy 

Most talking treatments for dissociative disorders take several years, but unfortunately in most areas the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong (HA) offers short- or medium-term therapy. This isn’t usually effective in treating dissociative disorders. 

You may need to be very persistent to get the right help from the HA, or consider alternative ways to access treatment.

You might want to seek therapy outside the HA: 

  • HKACDD has information about organisations and therapists who might be able to help. 
  • You can find out more about private therapy in our pages on private treatment. 
  • Professional bodies like the The Hong Kong Association of Doctors in Clinical Psychology and The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists have lists of registered therapists working in HK, which you may find helpful. 

Choosing a therapist 

Not all therapists are familiar with dissociation or working with trauma. It may take time to find a therapist that feels right for you. 

It’s absolutely fine to meet with as many therapists as you need to find the one you want to work with. The therapist you choose should be: 

  • accepting of your experience 
  • willing to work with or learn to work with dissociation and trauma 
  • be prepared to work with you long-term. 

See our pages on finding a therapist and getting the most from therapy for more information. 

“I have learnt ways to control it and have began to be able to explore my feelings about my past without using dissociation to cope with it.” 

EMDR and dissociative disorders 

Eye movement desensitation and reprocessing (EMDR) was created to help people process traumatic memories. But standard EMDR is not helpful for most people with dissociative disorders, and the treatment should be adjusted to make it safe and effective. EMDR for dissociative disorders focuses on specific individual memories and usually for shorter time periods. 

This helps make it less intense and prevents too many traumatic memories appearing too quickly (flooding). It should only be used when you are feeling reasonably stable and by professionals who know about treating dissociative disorders. 

Medication 

There are no drugs that are licensed to treat dissociation. Your doctor might offer you psychiatric medication to treat other symptoms or problems you might experience because of, or as well as, a dissociative disorder. These problems may include depression, anxiety and panic attacks, suicidal feelings, hearing voices and OCD. 

These medications might include: 

  • antidepressants 
  • antipsychotics 
  • mood stabilisers. 

You will only be given medication for dissociative identity disorder (DID) if most of the different parts of your identity, or at least the dominant part of your identity, experiences the problem you want to treat. 

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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 treatments can help?

What treatments can help? 

This section has information on treatments which may be able to help if you have a dissociative disorder. 

Can I recover from a dissociative disorder? 

Yes - if you have the right diagnosis and treatment, there is a good chance you will recover. This might mean that you stop experiencing dissociative symptoms and any separate parts of your identity merge to become one sense of self. 

Not everyone will stop experiencing dissociative symptoms completely but treatment can help you feel more in control of your life and your identity. Some people find that being able to dissociate is comforting and don't feel ready to stop dissociating completely. 

Talking therapy 

Talking therapies are the recommended treatment for dissociative disorders. Counselling or psychotherapy will help you explore traumatic events in your past, help you understand why you dissociate and develop alternative coping mechanisms. It can also help you manage your emotions and your relationships. 

“Slowly my other parts are telling me about their memories of my abuse and I am telling them about my life now and, bit by bit, we are piecing things together and working through it with the help of counselling.” 

Accessing therapy 

Most talking treatments for dissociative disorders take several years, but unfortunately in most areas the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong (HA) offers short- or medium-term therapy. This isn't usually effective in treating dissociative disorders. 

You may need to be very persistent to get the right help from the HA, or consider alternative ways to access treatment.

You might want to seek therapy outside the HA: 

  • HKACDD has information about organisations and therapists who might be able to help. 
  • You can find out more about private therapy in our pages on private treatment. 
  • Professional bodies like the The Hong Kong Association of Doctors in Clinical Psychology and The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists have lists of registered therapists working in HK, which you may find helpful. 

Choosing a therapist 

Not all therapists are familiar with dissociation or working with trauma. It may take time to find a therapist that feels right for you. 

It's absolutely fine to meet with as many therapists as you need to find the one you want to work with. The therapist you choose should be: 

  • accepting of your experience 
  • willing to work with or learn to work with dissociation and trauma 
  • be prepared to work with you long-term. 

See our pages on finding a therapist and getting the most from therapy for more information. 

“I have learnt ways to control it and have began to be able to explore my feelings about my past without using dissociation to cope with it.” 

EMDR and dissociative disorders 

Eye movement desensitation and reprocessing (EMDR) was created to help people process traumatic memories. But standard EMDR is not helpful for most people with dissociative disorders, and the treatment should be adjusted to make it safe and effective. EMDR for dissociative disorders focuses on specific individual memories and usually for shorter time periods. 

This helps make it less intense and prevents too many traumatic memories appearing too quickly (flooding). It should only be used when you are feeling reasonably stable and by professionals who know about treating dissociative disorders. 

Medication 

There are no drugs that are licensed to treat dissociation. Your doctor might offer you psychiatric medication to treat other symptoms or problems you might experience because of, or as well as, a dissociative disorder. These problems may include depression, anxiety and panic attacks, suicidal feelings, hearing voices and OCD. 

These medications might include: 

  • antidepressants 
  • antipsychotics 
  • mood stabilisers. 

You will only be given medication for dissociative identity disorder (DID) if most of the different parts of your identity, or at least the dominant part of your identity, experiences the problem you want to treat.