The relationship between Dissociative Disorders and trauma from Sexual Abuse

In the vast and complex fabric of human psychology, there are painful realities that deserve to be explored to reach your understanding and empathy; it is important to give voice to minority and even stigmatized realities. One of the most sensitive and far-reaching issues is the impact of trauma due to sexual abuse. In recent years, it is aimed at the possible relationship between dissociative disorders and sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse, one of the most damaging acts of violence, is an alarmingly common reality across the globe. Its consequences can have invisible scars on the victims, having emotional ailments. The trauma resulting from sexual abuse has a lasting and profound impact on the lives of those affected, generating overwhelming emotional charges that can manifest in symptoms and more complex psychopathologies still.

In this context, dissociative disorders emerge as an intriguing field of study.

• Related article: "The 5 types of psychological trauma (and their treatment)"

What are dissociative disorders?

Dissociative disorders are psychological conditions in which there is a disconnection from reality, an escape from the traumatic experience through the fragmentation of consciousness. The mind, in an act of survival, can separate the painful experience from the conscious identity, giving rise to symptoms such as dissociative amnesia and loss of sense of reality. Throughout this article, we will explore how trauma can catalyze the onset of dissociative disorders and how, in turn, these dissociative disorders can influence the experience and recovery process of those who have been victims of abuse sexual.

Thus, the main characteristic of dissociative disorders is the appearance of a temporary disconnect from reality. These allow us to understand how the mind can protect itself and adapt to traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse. This temporary disconnection from reality is characterized by disruptions in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, identity, and perception. Dissociation implies a separation between aspects of experience that are normally connected, which can result in a feeling of fragmentation or unreality that can be very scary and anxiety.

Dissociation has been considered a psychological defense mechanism. When a person is faced with a traumatic experience, the mind can temporarily shut down aspects of consciousness to reduce the overwhelming emotional impact. It is as if the mind creates compartments to separate the pain from the rest of the conscious experience. We will return to this to explain the relationship between dissociation and sexual abuse.

• You may be interested in: "Dissociation: what it is and how it works"

What is sexual abuse trauma?

Sexual abuse refers to the exploitation or violence of a sexual nature that one person exerts on another without their consent. This form of abuse can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including bullying, rape, child abuse, and abuse in trusting relationships. It is essential to understand that sexual abuse affects not only the body, but also the mind and spirit of the victims. The trauma of sexual abuse can create a downward spiral in the lives of victims, affecting their physical and mental health, as well as their overall quality of life.

This is where the relationship between dissociative disorders and sexual abuse trauma comes into play. The trauma from sexual abuse can be so overwhelming that the mind turns to dissociation as a means of surviving the experience. Separation from reality can act as a psychological buffer, allowing the victim to navigate through the pain without feeling it in the fullness of it.

• Related article: "Understanding Child Sexual Abuse"

How sexual abuse can lead to dissociative disorders

As we have been discussing throughout this article, dissociation related to sexual abuse trauma is often be explained as a psychological defense mechanism to, somehow, abstract from the trauma and move it away from the awareness. This disconnection from reality is a natural and unconscious reaction in most cases, which helps the victim cope with the trauma temporarily. The mind fragments the experience to reduce the overwhelming emotional impact, allowing the person to survive the situation.

In this way, dissociation acts as a protective barrier, allowing the victim to process the trauma in a more "bearable" way. By dividing the experience into fragments, the mind can create compartments where pain and anguish are kept at a distance, which can help the victim cope with the experience at the time. However, this separation can have complex long-term mental health consequences.

As the victim deals with repeated trauma or persistent threats, the dissociation may become a chronic response. This adaptation, if it is maintained for a prolonged period, can evolve into disorders more complex dissociative disorders, such as dissociative dissociation or dissociative identity disorder (TID). These disorders can persist long after the sexual abuse has stopped, influencing the perception of reality and the identity of the individual.

Conclusion

In conclusion, although dissociative disorders do not always have the same causes, being abused sexual and trauma derived from them has been identified as a key cause for this dissociation.

In these cases, the fragmentation of the mind and the psycho-cognitive separation from the lived reality serves to somehow protect oneself from the trauma and avoid falling into the pain loop. For this reason, it is important to give voice to these very traumatic realities, since, with enough information, a person who experience sexual abuse and subsequent dissociation from it, you may be more aware of your situation and ask for help more ease.