Dissociative Disorders in People Coping with Grief or Loss

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Not established diagnosed DD
Is it more common among people coping with grief or loss? Dissociative reactions can occur after traumatic loss without constituting a dissociative disorder
Are people coping with grief or loss at higher risk? Somewhat, particularly traumatic/sudden loss
How much higher is the risk? NE
How often can it be missed? Very High
Does it show up differently among people coping with grief or loss? Strong Yes contextually
How might it look different? Numbness, unreality or sense that the loss “isn't real” may occur naturally after loss; persistence/severity/history determine significance
What commonly occurs alongside it? PTSD; prolonged grief; depression
What can it be confused with? Normal grief; prolonged grief disorder; PTSD; depression
Common screening tool DES-II — Dissociative Experiences Scale-II
Separate screening tool for people coping with grief or loss None

Most often taken Self-Assessments

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