Understanding And Overcoming The Invisible Pain
Trauma can hit one deep-rootedly and the experience can leave long-lasting imprints on our minds, emotions, and bodies. While many of us have heard about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative trauma disorder (DTD) is still a lesser-known condition. It is a complex and severe form of dissociation that arises from repeated traumatic events. Let’s dive deeper into what dissociative trauma disorder is, its symptoms, and what are the ways to overcome it.
What is Dissociative Trauma Disorder?
Dissociative Trauma Disorder is a mental health condition that is known as a disruption in the normal integration of conscious and unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It arises from experiencing long-term and repeated traumatic events, such as childhood abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or other forms of events that can lead to trauma. DTD is a dissociative disorder that can be present in different ways, including dissociative amnesia, depersonalization, derealization, identity confusion, and identity alteration.
DTD often starts out as a coping strategy for trauma survivors, allowing them to dissociate from the unbearable emotional and physical pain. However, over time, dissociation can develop into a chronic condition which then alters the relationship formations, regulating emotions, and carrying out everyday tasks.
Alarming Symptoms
DTD is often referred to as an invisible disorder since its symptoms can be challenging to detect. The symptoms of DTD can vary in intensity, duration, and nature. Some of the common symptoms of DTD include:
- Memory loss: Dissociative amnesia is one common symptom of DTD that is quite apparent, where the survivor experiences memory loss of significant parts of their life or trauma.
- Depersonalization: This involves feeling detached from oneself as if watching themselves from a distance.
- Derealization: This is the feeling of being disconnected from the world around you and having the impression as if everything is unreal or foggy.
- Identity confusion: The individual may face difficulties in defining their identity or sense of self.
- Identity alteration: This involves adopting different identities or personalities as a way to cope with the trauma.
- Emotional dysregulation: Survivors may experience heightened feelings, mood swings, or difficulty controlling their emotions.
Overcoming Dissociative Trauma Disorder
Getting over DTD is a complex and intricate process that requires mental health professional touch and support. Here are some ways to manage dissociative trauma disorder:
- Seek professional help: Working with a mental health professional who has expertise in treating dissociative disorders can help individuals overcome DTD.
- Self-care: Engaging in self-care activities, such as meditation, exercise, and creative expression, can help reduce the impact of trauma.
- Create a support network: Building a supportive network of friends, family, and peers can provide a sense of safety and belonging.
- Trauma-focused therapy: Trauma-focused therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), are a few examples that can help individuals process their trauma and overcome dissociation.
- Medication: In some cases, patients are prescribed with medications to manage symptoms of DTD, such as depression or anxiety.
To put it all together, dissociative trauma disorder is a mental condition that requires immediate help and treatment. If left untreated or neglected, the condition can have a profound impact on an individual’s life. Understanding the symptoms and seeking professional help is the first step toward overcoming dissociative trauma disorder. With the right support, individuals can learn to manage their symptoms, heal from their trauma, and get control of their lives.
Contact us at +1 (917) 267 8635 to get guidance and medical assistance from psychiatrists, psychologists, and family therapists to heal from trauma.
