Dissociative Disorders Controversy Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Dissociative disorders include several mental illnesses that one can experience. American Psychiatric Association defines dissociative disorders as a variety of issues connected to the mental functioning of a person (“What are dissociative disorders?”, n.d.). These disorders include symptoms such as issues with “memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior, and sense of self” (“What are dissociative disorders?”, n.d., para 1). They are often associated with the previous trauma that one had experienced. Dorahy et al. (2014) state that about 1 % of the population is affected by this issue. However, there are controversies regarding the illness, as some people do not believe that it represents a real state of a person. Regardless of the discussions that surround dissociative disorders, it is essential to value patients’ mental health and provide them with a proper treatment plan.

The main controversy that surrounds the diagnosis is the disbelief that many people have. They are questioning whether the symptoms that people are experiencing are real or fake. The problem of whether the disease is a trend that people follow for various reasons arises. Dorahy et al. (2014) found empirical evidence that the disorder exists. The authors state that the one possible cause of the controversies is the fact that it is a complicated issue. Thus, the understanding of it requires in-depth research that many people may dismiss. Some people argue that the premise of the disease being caused by childhood trauma is not substantial as there is no way to prove that the memory of abuse is truthful. The controversy can be described as “causality which pertains to repressed memories” (“Contemplating the controversies of dissociative identity disorder”, 2013, para 4). It can be argued that some people may pretend to have childhood trauma, and say that they do not remember the exact event that had caused it. Alternatively, it is possible that some people may make up such an event that never existed for a variety of reasons. This possibility has caused many disputes regarding the diagnostics of dissociative disorders.

The lack of empirical studies regarding dissociative disorders allows these controversies to continue. Reinders et al. (2016) state that there is a number of people that pretend to have symptoms of this disease, which is what leads to the controversy in the first place. However, their research has proven that there are differences in brain activity of the test subjects without a dissociative disorder and those who were diagnosed with it. Thus, the disease does exist although some people may try to fake its symptoms.

The controversies regarding the causes of dissociative disorders and whether these illnesses exist have not been dismissed entirely. However, professionals are questioning other aspects of the issue. Noel (2016) states that the controversy exists regarding the treatment plan for dissociative disorders as well. All in all, it is essential to understand that the issues regarding the diagnosis should not impact the provision of help to those who experience the symptoms. One of the aspects that Noel (2016) has found during the research of treatment plans is that social support contributed to the recovery of patients. Thus, doubting whether the symptoms one experiences are real or fake can have harmful effects on a patient’s recovery. Overall, the controversies regarding dissociative disorders should not influence the treatment that patients should receive.

References

(2013). Web.

Dorahy, M. J., Brand, B. L., Şar, V., Krüger, C., Stavropoulos, P., Martínez-Taboas, A., … Middleton, M. (2014). Dissociative identity disorder: An empirical overview. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 48(5), 402-417. Web.

Noel, H. (2016). Web.

Reinders, A. A., Willemsen, A.T., Vissia, E.M., Vos, H.P., den Boer, J.A., & Nijenhuis, E.R. (2016). The psychobiology of authentic and simulated dissociative personality states: The full Monty. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 204(6), 445-457. Web.

(n.d.). Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2021, June 22). Dissociative Disorders Controversy. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dissociative-disorders-controversy/

Work Cited

"Dissociative Disorders Controversy." IvyPanda, 22 June 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/dissociative-disorders-controversy/.

References

IvyPanda. (2021) 'Dissociative Disorders Controversy'. 22 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2021. "Dissociative Disorders Controversy." June 22, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dissociative-disorders-controversy/.

1. IvyPanda. "Dissociative Disorders Controversy." June 22, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dissociative-disorders-controversy/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Dissociative Disorders Controversy." June 22, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dissociative-disorders-controversy/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1