• It is a complex coping mechanism developed in childhood, in response to severe emotional stress, trauma or abuse
• it is a disconnection between a person’s thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of who he/she is
• There are degrees of dissociation ranging from normal daydreaming to pockets of pain, to separate identities or alter states within a person (called Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as M.P.D. or Multiple Personality Disorder)
• D.I.D. is considered a coping mechanism, not a mental illness and may be concurrent with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Dissociative responses can continue into adult life, affecting an individual’s way of relating to life stressors and relationships
• Some common characteristics of D.I.D. may include such things as: depression, mood swings, suicidal tendencies, amnesia, anxiety, flashbacks and memory loss
• Although only qualified health care providers, such as psychiatrists, can diagnose dissociative disorders, focused prayer can be very helpful for those who have received such a diagnosis
• Validation and relationship are key to receiving Christ's touch
• Through gentle facilitation with the prayer minister, connectedness with God can increase, gradually dissolving pockets of pain and walls of dissociation
• The ability to trust and attach increases as dissociative responses decrease
• Individuals who have suffered from trauma and dissociative issues generally feel safe in exploring issues in a prayerful, accepting atmosphere where the love and comfort of Jesus is evident
• For further information on dissociation,
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