Dissociative Disorders are characterized by a disturbance in the previously cohesive and unified functions of identity, memory, consciousness, and/or perception of the environment.
Four types of Dissociative Disorders are recognized:
Dissociative Amnesia is a pervasive loss of memory of significant personal information.
Dissociative Fugue is a sudden, unplanned excursion away from ones planned itinerary accompanied by either memory loss; or confusion about, loss of, or assumption of a new identity.
Dissociative Identity Disorder was formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder. It is evidenced by two or more separate personalities or identities that control a persons consciousness at different times, with each being amnesic of the other/s.
Depersonalization Disorder is evidenced by the sense of being separated from ones cognitions or body without an accompanying breakdown in reality testing.
