Meds for Dissociation

So, my previous psychiatrist and new psychiatrist have prescribed antipsychotics for dissociation. I am on a very low dose of seroquel, and just started abilify. I'm a bit skeptical that meds can help with this issue (I experience severe dissociation with amnesia), and I wanted to hear about other peoples' experiences.

I am also on meds for dissociative issues. meds for dissociation is a relatively new thing. it came about with the changes in diagnostics and treatment options back in 2013. how it works in me is that dissociation is an automatic response to a trigger. the meds control how my brain / mind interpret those triggers and gives my brain/ mind/ me time to think before automatically reacting by dissociating...

example I get very nervous/ anxious... with storm related situations. this would cause me to feel numb, spaced out and disconnected from my body and those around me (otherwise known as depersonalization/derealization in me) the anti- psychotics / antidepressants that I am on enable me to think clearly before reacting. normally right now with the frigid, arctic weather/ bomb cyclone we are experiencing would be sending me into my dissociation problems where as right now I am perfectly content with no symptoms or problems.

Im not saying its easy. just like with any other mental/ physical health problem it took time to find that right medication and dosage that would keep my dissociation problems in control.

my suggestion continue to work with your treatment providers and you will end up with the right medication and dosage that can possibly help you.

My psychiatrist told me that dissociation can't be treated with drugs, but some drugs can help ease some of the trauma symptoms like depression and anxiety. But no, my psychiatrist definitely doesn't treat me with antipsychotics for a developmental trauma disorder.
Are there perhaps other things going on with you that might warrant the use of antipsychotics?

I mean, seroquel and abilify are both approved for use in the treatment of depression, which I have. However, my previous pdoc specifically stated that the seroquel should help with dissociation. I've only met with my new pdoc once, but she said outright that she does not think I'm psychotic (and I agree). She prescribed the abilify because I told her I haven't been upping my dose of seroquel as directed by my previous pdoc because a higher dose makes me feel more sedated throughout the day (I take it at night), and I didn't think it would help with the dissociation anyway. She noted that sedation can increase dissociation, which I appreciated, as I have certainly found that to be the case for me. So I guess I'm not sure what her opinion is on if it will help with dissociation, or if she's really just trying to decrease sedation and using the abilify as an adjunct to my SNRI.

Hmm... Maybe previous pdoc was hoping the seroquel would indirectly help with dissociation by cutting back on the PTSD-related paranoia. That's a thought...

It sounds like you know a lot more than I do about it. At least it sounds like they are on board with the dissociative diagnosis. My psychiatrist has never suggested anything to me other than an antidepressant so I don't have any experience to offer with anything else sorry. I can see why you don't want to use something that will increase your dissociation however...

My p'doc also stated that there are no meds that will cure dissociation. I have tried a raft of anti depressants for depression none of which has been a permanent fiix for my depression. I also take 100mg of seroquel for anxiety along with clonazepam.

Unfortunately, I was told by several docs that meds don't help dissociation directly. They may help smooth out the reason we decide to dissociate....fear, overwhelmed,anger,depression etc. They said it isn't even understood what dissociation is. They're normals, you know!!!! So I can see why your T said it would help...the idea that reducing depression would reduce dissociation. Perhaps just a technical distinction.

I took Abilify for several years; pdoc was totally on board with DID diagnosis (along with treatment resistant depression). He thought that the Abilify would help with depression and suicidal thoughts-which he believed were held only by some parts of me. It did help, made it easier for me to resist suicide.

At this point in my recovery, he wants me to take Xanax for anxiety to help limit dissociation. I am off the Abilify and most of the AD. He also wants me to be sure to get enough sleep-I have trouble sleeping depending on who is in charge, and he believes that lack of sleep makes all symptoms worse. I think he is probably right.

When I was highly dissociative I found that meds for anxiety actually INCREASED the dissociative state. Meds complicated matters I was better off with no meds.

Just an update - so far, I'm liking the abilify. I'm not sure that it helps me dissociate less exactly, but I do think it has helped a bit with the depression. I know it's supposed to take a while for meds to start working, but that hasn't really been my experience - it seems like it takes maybe 1-1.5 weeks for me to start feeling different. So I'm satisfied with the addition. To my surprise, when I was looking over an old journal, I found out my previous pdoc tried to put me on abilify, but I was resistant. Apparently, back then (I think it was 2009), it made me feel bad.

I can see how certain meds for anxiety would do that. Short-acting meds for anxiety that slow the mind down might make me more prone to dissociation - but I'm not on any of those. As for my other meds, I become suicidal without them, so being off all psychotropics isn't really an option.

In my experience, Abilify worked quite quickly; there was no waiting 6 weeks to see if it helped.

I know that Zyprexa, another AP works right away as well because I take it for "rescue"; if I am on the verge of needing to go IP, pdoc wants me to take 20 mg Zyprexa and go to bed instead of going to the ER. It pretty much knocks me out but it does end the SI.