About 75% to 80% of people with BPD report stress-related dissociation.
Symptoms of Dissociation
Frequent, severe dissociation during times of stress is a main symptom of BPD.
It’s also associated withacute stress disorderandpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), both of which canco-occur with BPD.
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Most people have experienced mild forms of dissociation from time to time.
Many but not all with BPD tend to have more severe episodes.
Depersonalization
Depersonalization is the feeling of being separate from your body.
Familiar things can look strange, unreal, or unfamiliar.
Derealization and depersonalization often occur at the same time.
This throw in of amnesia is sometimes referred to as a dissociative fugue.
Identity Confusion
Identity confusion takes place if you experience an inner struggle about who you really are.
People might have a hard time figuring out who they are in relation to others.
Identity Alteration
Identity alteration is the sense that you are acting like a different person.
It might have even carried over into how you react to stressful situations as an adult.
Groundingis one skill that can be used to reduce dissociation.
Some people with BPD experience minimal or mild symptoms of dissociation whereas others experience severe symptoms.
Treating dissociative symptoms through therapy can be intense, as it often requires you to remember past abuse.
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American Psychiatric Association.What Are Dissociative Disorders?Updated August 2018.
American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Washington, DC: 2013.
