[Fleury29]

I've recently looked into this and was wondering if this is a type of multiple personality disorder or just a natural response when you're really freaked out by something?

[pegasus]

Hello Fleury29,

What do you mean by freaked out? Dissociation is actually a natural occurance that all humans do. Say, when you are driving a car and your thoughts drift off somewhere else. Or if you were a passer-by and witnessed a car crash, you might have a shock reaction where the mind goes elsewhere in order to cope. Multiple personality disorder is now called dissociative identity disorder which would be on the very far end of the dissociation scale, that would only happen after a combination of events and traumas. Fleury, we have a very good Dissociative Disorders forum that explains about the whole spectrum of dissociation. Hugs

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Fleury29

I've recently looked into this and was wondering if this is a type of multiple personality disorder or just a natural response when you're really freaked out by something?

that depends on what you mean here where I live and work (new York which is in the USA) your word....disassociation...does not mean the same as ....dissociation...and it does not mean the mental disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder which you call multiple personality disorder....

here where I live and work your word....disassociation means you have consciously willingly made the choice to stop doing something...

example tonight I disassociated from cooking dinner. I chose instead to have dinner delivered.

what Im getting at is that many locations have their own terms and definitions.. to find out what something is called in your location you will need to contact your own treatment providers.

here where I live and work multiple personality disorder is called dissociative identity disorder and is where a person has a special kind of alternate personalities that constantly take control. the person with this mental disorder has a special type of memory problem that goes beyond the normal realms of forgetfulness and the problem is not because of drugs alcohol or other mental and physical health problems nor the common situation of fantasy play or invisible friends.

dissociation here where I live and work is an action/reaction that a person can do willingly or unwillingly due to boredom, entertainment, stress, trauma...in other words every human being mental disordered or not has their own normal dissociation skills. it becomes a disorder when it interferes with a persons normal functioning like social, work, academic, daily life.