The Role of Trauma in the Development of Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative Disorders are "characterized by persistent maladaptive disruptions in the integration of memory, consciousness, or identity." A person with a dissociative disorder may forget details about the past, they may wander away and forget how they got to where they are, or in very extreme cases, multiple personalities may exist.
Trauma is an event that involves actual or threatened death, injury, or abuse. Traumatic stress is the result, leaving the person feeling helpless, frightened, and anxious. Trauma is also a link between dissociative disorders and Traumatic Stress Disorders.…