Dissociative Disorders

I'm a newcomer to this list and am grateful for both the opportunity to profit from others' contributions and also offer one of my own.

I'm wondering, Dr. Nathanson, how you might conceive of dissociative disorders, specifically dissociative identity disorder, from the point of view of affect theory? At first glance, it seems to me that one might think of dissociative splitting as a means of isolating uncomfortable affects, but perhaps more than that, as a means of managing what I'm thinking of as an "affective structure" which has been disrupted by trauma. In any case, I'm very interested in your ideas in this regard.

• Some Terms Defined by Don Nathanson, 9/6/97
  • Response Some Terms Defined by B. Lynch, 1/11/98
    • On Intent by Don Nathanson, 1/11/98
    • Terms defined, response by B. Lynch, 1/11/98