DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjmcr.2025.v13i11.043

Pages: 2843-2845

Dissociative symptoms are an important component of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and represent a temporary breakdown in the integration between emotions, perception, memory and consciousness. In PTSD, dissociation often appears as a protective mechanism against an overly intense traumatic experience, but it becomes problematic when it persists. The main clinical manifestations are depersonalization and derealization, dissociative amnesia and dissociative flashbacks. Neuropsychologically, these symptoms result from an imbalance between the amygdala (hyperactivated), the prefrontal cortex (hypoactive) and the hippocampus (disorganized). Dissociation disrupts the integration of memory, which promotes reviviscences and fragmentation of the traumatic experience. Clinically, the presence of dissociation often indicates a more severe PTSD, with an increased risk of comorbidities and a slower therapeutic response. Treatment requires a gradual approach: stabilization, anchoring techniques, adapted trauma psychotherapies (EMDR, graduated exposure, sensorimotor therapy), and sometimes drug support. In short, dissociative symptoms are both a reflection of a survival mechanism and a factor in the complexity of the disorder, requiring specialized and structured management