Dissociative barriers, also known as dissociative walls or amnesic barriers, are protective mechanisms that can form in individuals who have experienced trauma, particularly in the context of complex trauma and dissociative disorders such as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD). These barriers serve as a way for the mind to compartmentalize and cope with overwhelming or traumatic experiences.
When a person goes through traumatic events, especially during childhood, the mind may utilize dissociation as a defense mechanism. Dissociation involves a detachment from one's thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity, effectively creating a mental separation from the distressing or painful experiences. Dissociative barriers are essentially psychological boundaries that form between different parts of a person's consciousness to prevent them from fully experiencing or remembering the trauma.
In the context of trauma patients and dissociative disorders, these barriers can manifest in several ways:
Amnesic Barriers: These are gaps or periods of amnesia in a person's memory. They may not remember certain events or experiences, especially traumatic ones, because those memories are "blocked off" by the dissociative barrier. This amnesia can extend to significant portions of the person's life or be limited to specific traumatic incidents.
Switching Between Alters: In DID or OSDD, the dissociative barriers can lead to the formation of distinct identities or "alters." These alters may have their own memories, emotions, and experiences, and there can be amnesic barriers between them. When one alter is "fronting" (in control of the body), they may not have direct access to the memories of other alters.
Emotional Barriers: Dissociative barriers can also manifest as emotional numbness or a sense of detachment from intense emotions. This emotional numbing can serve as a protective shield against overwhelming feelings associated with trauma.
Time Loss: People with dissociative barriers may experience periods of time loss, commonly referred to as "losing time" or "time distortion." They might not have a clear recollection of what happened during these gaps in their memory.
These dissociative barriers, while initially adaptive for coping with trauma, can also cause significant challenges and disruptions in daily functioning and interpersonal relationships. In therapy, addressing these barriers and facilitating communication and integration among different parts (alters) can be essential in the treatment of trauma patients with dissociative disorders. It allows for processing the traumatic experiences in a safe and supportive environment, leading to better healing and recovery. Therapy for trauma and dissociative disorders often involves approaches such as trauma-informed therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and specialized therapies for dissociative disorders like Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.