What Is Dissociation?

For instance, people with borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia sometimes experience dissociation. These areas are: Breaks in this system of automatic functions can cause dissociation symptoms. Both of these are serious mental health issues. JGI / Jamie Grill / Getty Images An example of depersonalization is an out-of-body experience, where people see themselves from above. This survival mechanism lets them feel that whatever is occurring “is not happening to me....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 378 words · Alyssa Hammond

What Is Dissociative Amnesia?

Laflor / Getty Images What Is Dissociative Amnesia? Dissociative amnesia is a condition that causes you to forget important information about your life. Its typically brought on by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Laflor / Getty Images Otherdissociative disordersinclude dissociative identity disorder and depersonalization/derealization disorder. Dissociative amnesia is a relatively rare condition. In severe cases, a person might completely forget their life history, their family, and friends. They might even have apparently purposeful travel or confused wandering known as dissociative fugue....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 304 words · Rhonda Irwin

What Is Distress Tolerance?

How Easily Do Your Feathers Get Ruffled? It also involves making it through an emotional incident without making it worse. Everyone experiences a wide variety of stress in life. Alberto Guglielmi/Getty Images The stronger these emotions are, the more difficult they can be to control. Poor Distress Tolerance It can be challenging to identify the specific emotions you’re experiencing. This can make them feel even more frightening, unpredictable, and out of your control....

April 26, 2025 · 3 min · 432 words · Alicia Jones

What Is Diurnal Variation in Mood?

While technically not a separate diagnosis fromclinical depression, diurnal mood variation is sometimes referred to as morning depression. Unlike people who do not have depression, they may feel that they are unable to control the changes. Studies have shown that people who dont have depression may also experience similar fluctuations in mood. Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment. However, they usually report these fluctuations are in response to certain situations or influences....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 395 words · Susan Haynes

What Is Double Depression?

Martin-dm / Getty Images Depression is a mental disorder that can potentially cause severe feelings of sadness and hopelessness. There are many forms of this condition, and double depression is an often overlooked one. Double depression can develop in the context of persistent depressive disorder (PDD), formerly known asdysthymia. Martin-dm / Getty Images Double depression is a form of depression that can significantly affect your quality of life and daily functioning....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 425 words · Matthew Lopez

What Is Drama Therapy?

What Is Drama Therapy? How It Works No previous experience or dramatic training is needed to participate. A registered drama therapist (RDT) facilitates this specialized pop in of therapy. Katarzyna Bialasiewicz / Getty Images Other types of expressive therapy to consider include: Where Is Drama Therapy Offered? North American Drama Therapy Association.What is drama therapy? Orkibi H, Feniger-schaal R.Integrative systematic review of psychodrama psychotherapy research: Trends and methodological implications.PLoS ONE....

April 26, 2025 · 1 min · 71 words · Kenneth Castillo

What Is Drug Toxicity?

Toxicity refers to how poisonous or harmful a substance can be. “Learn how drug toxicity occurs, the signs it may exist, and how drug toxicity is treated. Drug Toxicity vs. Drug Overdose Drug toxicity anddrug overdoseare often confused. Getty Images Drug toxicity is typically accidental, while drug overdose can be either accidental or intentional. In some cases, the threshold between an effective dose and a toxic dose is very narrow....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 247 words · John Howell

What Is Dysfunctional Behavior in Families?

Dysfunctional relationships or situations often serve as motivation for people to seek help, often in the form ofpsychotherapy. While the termdysfunctionalhas been widely used to describe unhealthy patterns and family dynamics, the term can feel stigmatizing. Causes of Family Dysfunction There are many potential causes of family dysfunction. SolStock / Getty Images It is often the result of a parent or caregiver not getting the emotional support they need. As a result, they are unable or don’t know how to provide their children with emotional support....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 271 words · William Proctor

What Is Dysgraphia?

If you have dysgraphia, you might feel like your mind and hand are on two different wavelengths. It’s also about struggling to create coherent text, having problems with grammar, and difficulty with spelling. Writing is a complex task that involves many parts of thebrain. Sean Anthony Eddy / Getty Images It may occur during childhood, but it can also appear following neurological damage. Diagnosing the condition often involves using handwriting assessments, visual and motor skills tests, and educational assessments....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 348 words · Daniel Morales

What Is Dysmorphophobia?

Body dysmorphophobia (BDD) is a broad term that encompasses multiple specific fears. Some people are afraid of becoming deformed or disfigured; others fear those who have a disfiguring condition. Some expectant parents worry that their child will be born with a deformity. Carla G / Moment / Getty Images Common areas of concern include facial features, body symmetry, hair, and muscularity. For example, they might become excessively concerned or distressed about a scar or mole....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 314 words · Alicia Nguyen

What Is Dysphoria?

Dysphoria is the opposite of euphoria, which describes a state of extreme happiness. There are different types of dysphoria that a person may experience. We also cover available treatments and ways to cope. Westend61 / Getty Images People who experience dysphoria also appear to think differently. A 2019 study published inPsychiatry Researchfound that dysphoria was linked to more frequent thoughts about the future. People with dysphoria reported more negative thoughts and more unrealistic or implausible outcomes....

April 26, 2025 · 3 min · 468 words · Lisa Kelly

What Is Educational Psychology?

Studying the Process of How People Learn Most Effectively Educational psychology is the study ofhow people learnand retain information. They may specialize in children with specific learning challenges and develop teaching methods that help students succeed in school. Educational psychology incorporates severalother psychology disciplines, includingdevelopmental psychology,behavioral psychology, andcognitive psychology. Steve Debenport / E+ / Getty Images The Behavioral Perspective This perspective suggests that all behaviors are learned through conditioning, such aspositive reinforcement....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 333 words · James Young

What Is Ego Death?

It’s described by people who have experienced it as a feeling of losing one’s self. Psychedelics that have triggered ego death include LSD, psilocybin, and ketamine. Words that have been used to describe the experience include eye-opening, cathartic, blissful, and scary. Yacobchuk / Getty Images The ego is “the I” or “me” of yourself-identity. It is determined by how you view yourself and your degree of self-esteem. Young children are naturally egocentric and everything is filtered from within their own perspective....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 405 words · Abigail Lane