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Other Specified Dissociative Disorders (OSDD) has symptoms characteristic of dissociative disorder. It causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other key areas of functioning. However, the case does not fully meet the diagnostic criteria for any of the disorders in the diagnostic class of dissociative disorders.
Dissociative disorders are characterized by a sense of discontinuity and separation from one's thoughts, memories, environment, activities and identity. People with dissociative disorders unintentionally and unhealthily flee reality, which makes it difficult for them to carry out daily activities.
Understanding Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD)
OSDD typically arises in response to trauma and serves to block out unpleasant memories.
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The sort of dissociative disorder you have might influence your symptoms, which can range from forgetfulness to other identities. Stressful situations might momentarily exacerbate symptoms, making them more noticeable.
DSM-5 says that when a person exhibits signs of a dissociative disorder, like depersonalization/derealization disorder or dissociative identity disorder, but does not match all the criteria for a particular dissociative disorder diagnosis, they are diagnosed with OSDD.
For instance, a person can only meet four of the five DID diagnostic criteria. The correct diagnosis would be OSDD, as a DID diagnosis requires the fulfillment of all five criteria.
OSDD and other Dissociative disorders
There are several ways in which OSDD can manifest. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lists three primary dissociative disorders:
1) Amnesia with dissociation
Memory loss that is more severe than ordinary forgetfulness and cannot be accounted for by a medical condition, is a key symptom. Especially after a traumatic experience, it's impossible to remember details about oneself, events or individuals in one's life.
Dissociative amnesia might be restricted to past experiences, like fierce warfare, or, less frequently, total loss of recollection. Sometimes it may include traveling or aimlessly wandering away from life (Dissociative fugue).
Amnesia episodes typically start out abruptly and can linger for minutes, hours. or, in rare cases, months or years.
2) Dissociative identity disorder
OSDD often presents symptoms closely related to that of Dissociative Identity disorder.
This disorder, which was once known as multiple personality disorder, is characterized by "switching" to several identities. You can experience the voices of two or more individuals speaking to you or living within your brain, as well as the sensation that you are being controlled by several personalities.
Each identity may have a distinctive name, background and personality traits, like voice, gender, mannerisms and even physical traits like the requirement for eyeglasses. Additionally, there are variations in how each identity is acquainted with the others. Dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue are common in people with dissociative identity disorder.
3) Depersonalization and derealization
It involves having a persistent or sporadic experience of being detached from or outside of oneself and viewing your actions, feelings, ideas and self as if you were watching a movie (depersonalization).
The environment may look surreal; time may seem to have sped up or slowed down, and other people and things around you may seem distant, hazy or dreamy. Depersonalization, derealization, or both may occur.
The symptoms, which can be quite upsetting, may only last for a short while or may come and go over many years.
Symptoms of OSDD
Depending on the type of OSDD you have, you may experience the following signs and symptoms:
- Memory loss (amnesia) of specific events, persons, places, and personal details
- Feeling of being emotionally and personally distant
- Skewed and surreal perspective of the people and things around you
- No clear idea of who you are
- Having a lot of stress or issues at work, in relationships or in other critical areas of life and not being able to handle stress properly
- Depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and behaviors are examples of mental health issues.
Medication and conversation therapy (psychotherapy) may be used to treat this disorder. Even though treating dissociative disorders can be challenging, many people find new coping mechanisms and go on to have happy, fulfilling lives.
Some sufferers of dissociative disorders exhibit intense traumatic flashbacks or risky behavior when they're in a crisis. People who exhibit these symptoms ought to visit the emergency department. Call your doctor if you or a loved one exhibits less serious symptoms that could point to OSDD.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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