[serenity2298]

Hi, is there anyone here who could help me clarify something? I'd like to know the difference between psychosis and dissociation? Any info really appreciated, thanks

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by serenity2298

Hi, is there anyone here who could help me clarify something? I'd like to know the difference between psychosis and dissociation? Any info really appreciated, thanks

psychosis is when you have things like

delusions, delusional beliefs (thinking and believing in things that can not possibly be real ie thinking your insides are being ripped out when in reality you are standing there just fine with no one trying to take out your insides and no evidence of anyone trying to rip out your insides., or thinking for example you are someone famous when in reality you are an average normal non popular person, ....)

hallucinations....seeing or hearing things that are not real....looking out a window and seeing a tree coming out of the ground and coming to attack your house....hearing bells when there are no bells near you, tasting something when in reality you are not eating....

paranoia....thinking people are out to get you, thinking everyone is talking about you,

Dissociation is feeling like you are numb, spacy, foggy minded, some people discribe it like feeling hung over but did not go out drinking or doing drugs, you know that feeling of unconnectedness, spacy, moving too slow or too fast drugged like feeling, but the problem isnt because of drugs and alcohol.

an example of my psychosis is when my medications are not working I slip into the non realistic belief that people are reading my mind when in reality no one is reading my mind, that I hear my co workers plotting against me when in reality my co workers and I get along great, that I see raccoon's in the trees along the street when in reality there are no raccoon's sitting in the trees on my way to work.

an example of my dissociating is being at work and suddenly feeling like my co worker is walking past my desk in slow motion, my arms feel like they went to sleep, numb like and my head is foggy, having trouble remembering the phone call I just took.

[ResaLock]

Originally Posted by serenity2298

Hi, is there anyone here who could help me clarify something? I'd like to know the difference between psychosis and dissociation? Any info really appreciated, thanks

I think amanda pretty much summed it up.
Psychosis and dissociation are 2 different distortions of reality.

Though dissociation is still connected to reality, you feel disconnected. I have experienced this many times. Especially going through a trauma.
Example from my experience. When I was suffering an acute distress from a trauma. Going into the grocery store was hard. It felt like everything was far away from me, yet it was closing in on me with a lot of pressure. I was extremely over whelmed and had to leave the store. It feels like you are there but separated in another dimension, not in place where you are standing, but you feel it in your mind. Everything that is familiar is unfamiliar, but yet you know it.
with dissociation your not hallucinating or in some delusion. For example your not seeing or hearing things that are not there.

With Psychosis it includes hallucinations, delusions, speech that consist of talking about one thing and then another. Though it includes that of switching from one subject to another. We all usually do that when we have a lot going on, trying to squeeze it into a short period of time. This is talking about random, completely unrelated topics. EX. If your talking to someone with psychosis you may be talking about the store that burned down last week, and then they will say something random, unconnected. (not that of talking of a different subject on the list of thought) but will suddenly say something like, " Abraham Lincoln was shot." In the middle of no where. People often get this confused when looking up things about psychosis and it is poorly expressed. Because it will say changes topic jumping from one subject to another.
Many people do that often, but this is completely different and disconnected to reality of conversation.
Though many people,I think, have delusional beliefs. This is something extreme. Many people stay convicted on beliefs many know are not real and if you try to prove it to them, they still stay on their belief. The DSM say if you carry a beliefs despite what everyone else believes. This is very vague, and not detailed enough. Delusional beliefs are not clearly defined and actually very shaky in explanation that is justifiable in the DSM.

A real delusional belief that is psychotic would be. Someone believing that their child is on a commercial on TV. and that is their child. Its not really a hallucination. They really did not see their child on TV. They just believe that is there child.

Fear of things that are not there. This does not include what would give someone an idea to fear. Though there may be nothing there just based on false perceptions that are common, or past experiences.
This would be based on random fears with nothing to give relation for that fear. For example. You may be a random housewife and you think the pope is coming after you to kill you, or you think an innocent bi-standard without reason or anything indicating it, is going to take your child.
This is paranoia. This would exclude someone making a gesture or acting out of the ordinary to give you that idea that it could be possible.

[serenity2298]

Thank you both so much for your replies this has really clarified it to me, you both explained it so well and clearly.
My question now is... is it possible to have both? Perhaps not at the same time put at different times perhaps depending on different situations and triggers? If anyone would like to tell me that I'd be relly grateful, thanks.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by serenity2298

Thank you both so much for your replies this has really clarified it to me, you both explained it so well and clearly.
My question now is... is it possible to have both? Perhaps not at the same time put at different times perhaps depending on different situations and triggers? If anyone would like to tell me that I'd be relly grateful, thanks.

yes it is possible to have both, its called having dual diagnosis...........

i have bipolar disorder (which is where my psychosis problems are) and I have dissociative disorders (which is where my dissociation symptoms are)

[serenity2298]

Thank you once again amandalouise I think I will bring up the subject of dissociations with my T because I think I have more dissociative symptoms than psychosis. I often feel numb and very, very disconnected like I zone into my own world although that world is just empty, a blank space but very deep. And there are often times that I suddenly wake up feeling very hungover but without the headache and the day before or hours before or sometimes days before is very blurry and hard to remember, not completely forgotten but vague. It really really is like I had been drinking copious amounts of alcohol though I didn't. And after those episodes I feel very mentally exhausted. Other times it's like watching a movie being fast forwarded and everything is speeded up and it's a horrible feeling I've experienced since I was a child after being very feverish one time. That doesn't happen a lot however and it's been months since it happened. And it usually only lasts for minutes to an hour maybe. Thanks again!

[treehouse.keeper]

Serenity,
I have chronic depersonalization, a dissociative disorder, and it has lasted since early 2009 - present day. It's like I am a robot, on autopilot, my head is blank, I can't remember much of anything, I am emotionally detached from everything in my life. There is a cloud over my brain, I sometimes don't feel like I am even me, and I do not know who I am.

I relate! Please do talk to your T about it, though in my experience... which is with MANY doctors, neurologists, therapists, etc... none of them really know what to do about it. At least in my neck of the woods. Good luck to you though & know that you are not alone!

[ResaLock]

Originally Posted by serenity2298

Thank you once again amandalouise I think I will bring up the subject of dissociations with my T because I think I have more dissociative symptoms than psychosis. I often feel numb and very, very disconnected like I zone into my own world although that world is just empty, a blank space but very deep. And there are often times that I suddenly wake up feeling very hungover but without the headache and the day before or hours before or sometimes days before is very blurry and hard to remember, not completely forgotten but vague. It really really is like I had been drinking copious amounts of alcohol though I didn't. And after those episodes I feel very mentally exhausted. Other times it's like watching a movie being fast forwarded and everything is speeded up and it's a horrible feeling I've experienced since I was a child after being very feverish one time. That doesn't happen a lot however and it's been months since it happened. And it usually only lasts for minutes to an hour maybe. Thanks again!

If you are having experiences like that. I would see a medical specialist. Even get a couple of opinions. Of course not telling each one of them about the other. I would get a clean diagnosis without other influences of your history with psychologist. It could be a medical issue. Many Psychologist play doctor and will not relate a lot of issues to medical. Even if the have a Dr. degree.
Sadly the DSM4&5 have a lot of false perceptions about what things are. Their only statistics by society. There are to many of them out there not even very skilled in their own practice.
This is why there are so many wrong diagnosis. Many people dealing with past traumas do not get the proper help needed. As they are diagnosed with many other things besides TRAUMA related.

The thing is...in the DSM there are many vague explanations for things and not detailed. Many faded lines with little distinction.
I find many are diagnosing people with psychosis. If they simply have experiences or beliefs beyond their own of what they experienced.

Before the DSM5 Psychosis was claimed of not having a valid scientific claim to what it is. Even the DSM says this.
... but there has to be an obvious distinction.

Just listening to you write and ask...YOU ARE NOT SUFFERING FROM PSYCHOSIS! If they insist you are...you need to seek out someone who understands this.
They will claim anything they think is false about you, or you think in a false way of common delusional beliefs many of them will label you as psychotic.

There has to be a complete evaluation of a long period of time of things that are distinctly NOT REAL!

..ot only by false perceptions. Which we all can have for one thing or another.

[ResaLock]

Originally Posted by serenity2298

Thank you once again amandalouise I think I will bring up the subject of dissociations with my T because I think I have more dissociative symptoms than psychosis. I often feel numb and very, very disconnected like I zone into my own world although that world is just empty, a blank space but very deep. And there are often times that I suddenly wake up feeling very hungover but without the headache and the day before or hours before or sometimes days before is very blurry and hard to remember, not completely forgotten but vague. It really really is like I had been drinking copious amounts of alcohol though I didn't. And after those episodes I feel very mentally exhausted. Other times it's like watching a movie being fast forwarded and everything is speeded up and it's a horrible feeling I've experienced since I was a child after being very feverish one time. That doesn't happen a lot however and it's been months since it happened. And it usually only lasts for minutes to an hour maybe. Thanks again!

sorry...just another thing...
I also do not know if you are on medication. As medications can make you feel like this. This would not then be dissociation.
..but just saying...if there is something noticed that medications have a part in...and their not telling you about it. ..and they find something wrong. They will automatically give you a diagnosis of psychosis. It protects themselves. Its a sad thing of how the system works, but its true.
They will rarely give you a diagnosis of psychosis caused by medications. Though they had to put it in the DSM they do not follow it. You simply will get a label of psychosis.

[serenity2298]

Originally Posted by ResaLock

sorry...just another thing...
I also do not know if you are on medication. As medications can make you feel like this. This would not then be dissociation.
..but just saying...if there is something noticed that medications have a part in...and their not telling you about it. ..and they find something wrong. They will automatically give you a diagnosis of psychosis. It protects themselves. Its a sad thing of how the system works, but its true.
They will rarely give you a diagnosis of psychosis caused by medications. Though they had to put it in the DSM they do not follow it. You simply will get a label of psychosis.

Thank you for your replies. I have told my T about what i think are dissociation spells but she never mentioned anything about it we didn't go into detail i just reffered to that hungover blurry memory thing really. Maybe I should bring it up again. It used to happen a lot when I was not on any medications but now i am on effexor anti depressant and risperdal antipsychotic and they actually don't happen as often at all anymore. considering that maybe it actually is psychosis then but then im thinking considering my sympoms i probably have both...

[ResaLock]

Originally Posted by serenity2298

Thank you for your replies. I have told my T about what i think are dissociation spells but she never mentioned anything about it we didn't go into detail i just reffered to that hungover blurry memory thing really. Maybe I should bring it up again. It used to happen a lot when I was not on any medications but now i am on effexor anti depressant and risperdal antipsychotic and they actually don't happen as often at all anymore. considering that maybe it actually is psychosis then but then im thinking considering my sympoms i probably have both...

Personally I do not believe that any of those symptoms express psychosis. They sound like medical problems. I personally would see a medical doctor for it.

Personally I also think that many psychosis issues are really medical underlying symptoms.

To me I do not think anything you have described would be under that of psychosis.

Psychosis would be like seeing bugs, or thinking something is eating your intestines (unrelated medical descriptions)
Psychosis would be you seeing clowns as people walking down the street. Thinking you can fly so you may jump off of some tall building.

You also would be impaired and would not be able to reason as well and discern things rightly a lot of the time. It would hinder you being able to rightly take care of yourself caused by these things going on.

The statement I made about thinking you can fly and humping off of a building would be probably labeled under bi polar with psychosis. (for me I personally do not believe bi polar is a disorder) ..but I am speaking from the sense of as I did. Either way... the psychosis I expressed would be on an ultimate high into this TYPE of delusional state.
THIS IS RARE!!!

...and sweety...I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU ARE PSYCHOTIC!

You wouldn't be able to focus on all I have written and discern them and come to a realization. Though your still questioning it...
Its ok...its at a normal level.

You would be disrupted out of all of that...

YOUR NOT SUFFERING FROM PSYCHOSIS!

Take a SIGH OF RELIEF! Your fine.

The thing is...I am recognizing your questions. You do not know what to call what you are experiencing psychology can be confusing that way...

Your questions seems to recognize your boundaries. YOUR GOOD! RELAX

[avlady]

I also have pshycosis and i finally accepted it after many years of trial and error concerning meds. iv finally got the right meds and am very different than i was for years. i totally denied anybody or anything that told me i was different, because of the pshycosis. meds do help but you just need to have a good doc that knows what he or she is doing. i feel dissociated sometimes but it is usually because of anxiety attacks. does anybody know if dissociative is paired with anxiety attacks?

[serenity2298]

Thanks for your replies. The thing is I do also have psychotic symptoms like delusions and I used to hear voices and see things when I was really mentally ill 4 years ago and they have always remained on and off. So I can understand my diagnosis containing ''with psychotic symptoms'' i was just wondering why my T have not addressed my dissociative symptoms really I was thinking she maybe classed them under psychosis too, I don't know...so I needed to differentiate the two really..

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by avlady

I also have pshycosis and i finally accepted it after many years of trial and error concerning meds. iv finally got the right meds and am very different than i was for years. i totally denied anybody or anything that told me i was different, because of the pshycosis. meds do help but you just need to have a good doc that knows what he or she is doing. i feel dissociated sometimes but it is usually because of anxiety attacks. does anybody know if dissociative is paired with anxiety attacks?

sometimes it is sometimes it isnt, each person has their own way they react to anxiety.

example sometimes my dissociation symptoms are triggered into active mode by fear, sometimes its stress, sometimes it boredom, sometimes it repetition.....you might say for me its a mixture....

for my wife its stress,
for others I know it has to do with lack of sleep
for someone else I know its their dietary problems.......

dissociation doesnt have one set thing that makes a person dissociate...

to find out if you are the type of person that dissociates when having a panic/anxiety attack you will need to contact your treatment providers..

[serenity2298]

Originally Posted by avlady

I also have pshycosis and i finally accepted it after many years of trial and error concerning meds. iv finally got the right meds and am very different than i was for years. i totally denied anybody or anything that told me i was different, because of the pshycosis. meds do help but you just need to have a good doc that knows what he or she is doing. i feel dissociated sometimes but it is usually because of anxiety attacks. does anybody know if dissociative is paired with anxiety attacks?

if it is dissociations i have, which i strongly believe i find that stress triggers them or stressful situations which i guess can be triggered by anxiety in the first place so i think so...i do know that my antipsychotics definitely help me too...