Dissociative Disorders

Healthcare providers diagnose dissociative disorders by assessing your symptoms and personal history.

Your provider may order tests to rule out possible medical conditions that can cause similar symptoms (such as memory loss), including:

• Head injury.
• Brain tumors.
• Sleep deprivation.
• Substance and/or alcohol use.

Once they rule out possible causes, they’ll likely refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychologist, to make a diagnosis through clinical interview and observations.

Mental health professionals use criteria in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to diagnose specific dissociative disorders.