Site:DDNOS

Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified DDNOS Type I

A moderate disturbance of identity associated with less-than-marked discontinuities in sense of self, and agency and/or alterations of identity or episodes of possession in a person who reports no dissociative amnesia.

The four dissociative disorders currently listed in the DSM IV are: Dissociative Amnesia, Dissociative Fugue, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Depersonalization Disorder. In each of these disorders, some form of dissociation is a major and defining symptom. This categorization will be updated in the proposed DSM-5, to be published in the spring of 2013.

Is DDNOS the same as DID?

DDNOS is a DD that does not qualify for specification as any of the four well-defined DD's in the DSM. There are many problems with how this catch-all diagnosis is presented in the DSM.[8a] The DSM-IV-TR gives 6 examples of proper use of the diagnosis, but offers no formal sub-categorization. Of particular interest is the first example, commonly referred to as DDNOS-1 which is the only DDNOS discussed on this site, since it's the variety most similar to DID. Most of the information and treatment for DID is the same for DDNOS-1.

What are stress and trauma disorders?

A section devoted to abnormal responses to stress and trauma is an option for the proposed DSM 5. If this occurs then the following will be categorized as stress and trauma disorders: Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), DDNOS and DID.[9] They are ordered from least to most complex. If these disorders were put on a scale of dissociativity then ASD would be at the low end and DID at the extreme far end.

What differs in DDNOS-1 & DID?

The main difference is that in DID there is extreme identity separation between the dissociated parts of the personality. [29] In addition, amnesia is absent between the dissociated parts in DDNOS-1, where amnesia [22] is present between at least two parts in those with DID and to some degree between most of the parts in DID. [29] This raises a lot of questions for the person with a diagnosis of DDNOS-1, after all, it's not always easy to know if amnesia is present or not because in DID the system of alters will work to keep this hidden from the host or presenting part of the personality. It leaves some people wondering if they actually do have DID instead of DDNOS-1, but do not self diagnosis. A good therapist can tell the difference between DID and DDNOS-1.

Will DDNOS-1 ever be categorized with as DID?

There is a movement among experts to soften the requirements for reported amnesia between the parts of the personality in the proposed DSM-5 and allow some that have a DDx of DDNOS-1 to be included in the DID category. [23]

Do DDNOS-1 and DID differ other than their symptoms?

If we look at etiology rather than symptoms, then one of the expert accepted models [6] that covers both DDNOS and DID is structural dissociation of the personality. [15] The authors of this project make a great argument for the differences and similarities between DDNOS-1 and DID as well as ASD and PTSD.

How common is DDNOS?

Studies report that DDNOS has been found to be present in about 3% of the general population. Reasonable estimates suggest that 5 to 58 percent of psychiatric hospital patient [27] and 2 to 6% of the general population suffer from one of the DD's.