Reality testing is a new diagnostic criteria for dissociative disorders. short version here in america the mental health field now has a way to distinguish whether the problem is because of a psychotic symptom\disorder or a dissociative disorder. many people with mental illness have more than one mental disorder where sometimes their symptoms over lap\cause problems that may resemble other mental disorder problems.

example I have dissociative problems as well as depressive\bipolar problems. sometimes its hard to tell whether a problem is because of one or another of my mental disorders.

now there is a way. its called Reality Testing. with dissociative disorders reality testing remains intact. what does this mean....

reality testing is....

knowing what is real and what isnt no matter which mind set a person is in..

example
as amandalouise i know I am a real person, i know that the computer I am typing on is real. I know I have a body, i know that is my hand, i know that is my face in the mirror, I know when I am dissociating (feeling numb, feeling spaced out, feeling disconnected,) I know I am not hallucinating, i know what is my problems vs my neighbors or someone elses online, staying real to me with out taking on other peoples symptoms (taking on other persons or what is read about is a psychotic disorder called fictitious disorder imposed on self) ... I know what I am going through is real or not and can compare my thoughts and actions to reality and know whether something is real or not by asking my self questions like do windows really talk, no so when it does its a psychotic problem not a dissociative problem.

As Rainy I know what is real and what isnt, I know when I am reacting \remembering a memory, I know I have a physical body that I reside with in (I may feel the body is mine or that I share it with others depending upon how much co consciousness there is) I know when I am imagining \ daydreaming, I know what i can and cant do, I know what my job, purpose reason for being created is, what I do for the one I reside with in .. all those sense of agency issues.

As Red I know what is real and what isnt, I know when i am reacting \remembering a memory, I know I have a physical body that I reside with in. As red I know what I am feeling vs what is real. I know what I can and cant do, what my sense of agency is, where I fit in. know what is in my mind vs reality.

one good way I have used to discover whether something is my dissociative problems vs my psychosis problems associated with my other mental and physical health problems is by remembering psychotic means reality testing is not intact and dissociative means reality testing is intact then asking my self questions...

in reality can that happen... can I tell what is real and what isnt, ....can i tell whether I am thinking\remembering \ doing something in my mind vs what i am actually doing.

if the answer is no to any of these questions I can be assured that this is not a dissociative problems due to my reality testing has shown i am out of touch with whats real and what isnt. thats when I contact my treatment providers and say hey I think my meds are needing some help\ changing I cant tell whats real and what isnt so i know I am having a delusional thought or hallucination \\psychotic reactions.

if the answer to the above questions is yes I know the solution ....for me... is to use my grounding, breathing , row my canoe around the lake and other therapeutic ways I use to get myself settled back out of my dissociative symptoms.