The relationship between dissociation and psychosis: An update

In 2008, Martin Dorahy, Ingo Schäfer and I published a book called ‘Psychosis, Trauma and Dissociation’. It contained 24 chapters from experts throughout the world commenting on historical, research and clinical perspectives linking trauma, dissociation and psychosis. At the time, there was very little that was published in this area, and this book was an important development for the field. We’ve now completed the second edition of this book, which will soon be published, updating many of the areas covered and introducing some new and important perspectives. In this talk, I will briefly overview some of the most important areas covered in the book that have seen interesting developments in the 9 years since the 1st edition. These include: 1) the relation between auditory hallucinations/voice hearing and dissociation, 2) attachment disturbances, psychosis and delusions, 3) similarities between brain changes caused by childhood trauma and those found in schizophrenia and 4) psychotic symptoms in trauma and dissociative disorders, and the need for new diagnoses. All of these areas are the focus of ongoing important work. In nine more years, we may be able to discuss more definitively how trauma, dissociation and psychosis, and the disorders grouped under these categories, are related.

Conference

English

Andrew Moskowitz

Moskowitz, A. (2017, June). The relationship between dissociation and psychosis: An update. Presentation (Anabel González, Chair) at the 18th EMDR Europe Association Conference, Barcelona, Spain