Dissociative disorders

Have you ever played pretend or make-believe? You might have imagined that you were a superhero that could fly or a princess who lives in a castle. You know that you are pretending and that it's not real, right?

Well, imagine if your brain started to believe that your make-believe world was actually real. That's what happens with people who have dissociative disorders.

Dissociative disorders happen when people start to feel like they are disconnected from their surroundings or from themselves. It's like they are in a dream world, and they can't really tell what's real and what's not real.

Sometimes, people with dissociative disorders might forget some things that happened to them, like a part of their past or even something that just happened yesterday. It's like their brain has taken a break from remembering things.

Other times, people with dissociative disorders might feel like they are not in control of their own body. It's almost like they are watching themselves from the outside, instead of being in their own body.

Why does this happen? Scientists don't really know for sure, but they think that it could be caused by things like trauma or stress. When something really bad happens to someone, their brain might need to protect them, and one of the ways it does this is by creating a make-believe world to escape into.

The good news is that people with dissociative disorders can get help. Sometimes, they might need to talk to a therapist to help them understand what's happening in their brain. Other times, they might need to take medicine to help their brain work better.

Overall, dissociative disorders might seem scary, but they are just a way your brain is trying to protect you. So, if you know someone who has a dissociative disorder, try to be understanding and supportive.