The role of trauma in the development of dissociative disorders.

Dissociative Disorders are "characterized by persistent maladaptive disruptions in the integration of memory, consciousness, or identity." A person with a dissociative disorder may forget details about the past, they may wander away and forget how they got to where they are, or in very extreme cases, multiple personalities may exist. Trauma is an event that involves actual or threatened death, injury, or abuse. Traumatic stress is the result, leaving the person feeling helpless, frightened, and …

…personalities exist in one person. It is linked to trauma from the past and has a slow and uncertain recovery rate. Although theory and speculation govern etiological considerations regarding dissociative disorders, one position that is widely accepted is that the disorders are often precipitated by trauma. This may not be an adequate cause on its own, but it is clear that trauma contributes to and plays a large role in the development of dissociative disorders.