PSY E245 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Somatic Symptom Disorder, Amobarbital, Truth Serum
Document Summary
Etiology: trauma model dissociative disorders are a result of severe childhood trauma accompanied by personality traits that predispose the individual to employ dissociation as a defense mechanism or coping strategies. Disorganized attachment may also be a risk factor. Iatrogenic condition means it is largely caused by therapists themselves during the course of therapy. Treatment for dissociative disorders focuses on helping individuals resolve emotional distress associated with past traumas and learn effective ways of coping. Treatment for did is quite prolonged, requires four stages: Used to confirm the diagnosis, contact alters and uncover memories of traumatic events. May be helpful in treating comorbid disorders. Truth serum (sodium amytal) helpful for recalling lost memories. Individual typically have multiple, recurrent somatic symptoms which may or may not be due to a diagnosed medical disease or illness, but must be very distressing to the individual.
