Clinical psychologyChapter 8Dissociative disorders and somatic symptom- related disordersIntroductionBoth types of disorders are hypothesized to be associated with stressful experiences, yet symptoms do not involve direct expressions of anxiety.In the dissociative disorders, the person experiences disruptions of consciousness. He or she loses track of self-awareness, memory, and identityIn the somatic related disorders, the person complains of bodily symptoms that suggest a physical defect or dysfunction, sometimes dramatic in nature. For some of these, no physiological basis can be found, and for others, the psychological reaction to the symptoms appear to be excessive.Dissociative and somatic symptom-related disorders tend to be comorbid. The DSM-5 includes three major dissociative disorders:Dissociative amnesiaDepersonalization/derealization disorderDissociative identity disorderThe dissociative disorders are all presumed to be caused by a common mechanism, dissociation. Which results in some aspect of cognition or experience being inaccessible consciously.Dissociation and memory Psychodynamic theory suggests that in dissociative disorder traumatic events are repressed.In this model, memories are forgotten because they are so aversive.Memory for emotional relevant stimuli is enhanced by stress, while memory for neutral stimuli is impaired.Dissociative disorders involve unusual ways of responding to stress.Extremely high levels of stress hormones could interfere with memory formation.In the face of severe trauma, memories may be stored in such a way that they are not accessible to awareness later when the person has...