The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder
Background: Patients suffering from dissociative disorders (DD) are characterized by an avoidance of aversive stimuli. Clinical experience has shown that DD patients typically avoid the confrontation with their own faces in a mirror (CFM). Objective: To investigate potential CFM-associated self-repo...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2018-11-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2018.1472991 |
| _version_ | 1797954583146790912 |
|---|---|
| author | Eva Schäflein Heribert Sattel Ulrike Schmidt Martin Sack |
| author_facet | Eva Schäflein Heribert Sattel Ulrike Schmidt Martin Sack |
| author_sort | Eva Schäflein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Patients suffering from dissociative disorders (DD) are characterized by an avoidance of aversive stimuli. Clinical experience has shown that DD patients typically avoid the confrontation with their own faces in a mirror (CFM). Objective: To investigate potential CFM-associated self-reported and psychophysiological stress reactions of DD patients, which most likely inform on the still unknown pathophysiology of dysfunctional self-perception in DD. Method: Eighteen DD patients and 18 healthy controls (HCs) underwent CFM. They were assessed for CFM-induced subjective self-reported stress, acute dissociative symptoms and sympathetic and parasympathetic drive using impedance cardiography. Results: DD patients experienced more subjective stress and acute dissociation than HCs upon CFM. Their psychological stress response did not activate the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Conclusions: In DD patients, CFM constitutes serious self-reported stress and is associated with a blunted autonomic reactivity. Therapeutic approaches promoting self-perception and self-compassion, in particular by using CFM, might serve as goal-oriented diagnostic and therapeutic tools in DD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:19:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4702b8b3cf044baf996963f9f37205b2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:19:42Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4702b8b3cf044baf996963f9f37205b22023-01-12T15:31:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662018-11-019010.1080/20008198.2018.14729911472991The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorderEva Schäflein0Heribert Sattel1Ulrike Schmidt2Martin Sack3Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of MunichKlinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of MunichUniversity Medical Centre of Göttingen, RG Stressmodulation of NeurodegenerationKlinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of MunichBackground: Patients suffering from dissociative disorders (DD) are characterized by an avoidance of aversive stimuli. Clinical experience has shown that DD patients typically avoid the confrontation with their own faces in a mirror (CFM). Objective: To investigate potential CFM-associated self-reported and psychophysiological stress reactions of DD patients, which most likely inform on the still unknown pathophysiology of dysfunctional self-perception in DD. Method: Eighteen DD patients and 18 healthy controls (HCs) underwent CFM. They were assessed for CFM-induced subjective self-reported stress, acute dissociative symptoms and sympathetic and parasympathetic drive using impedance cardiography. Results: DD patients experienced more subjective stress and acute dissociation than HCs upon CFM. Their psychological stress response did not activate the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Conclusions: In DD patients, CFM constitutes serious self-reported stress and is associated with a blunted autonomic reactivity. Therapeutic approaches promoting self-perception and self-compassion, in particular by using CFM, might serve as goal-oriented diagnostic and therapeutic tools in DD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2018.1472991autonomic nervous systemavoidancedissociative disorderface in the mirrorimpedance cardiographymirror-confrontationparasympatheticpost-traumatic stress disorderself-perceptionsympathetic |
| spellingShingle | Eva Schäflein Heribert Sattel Ulrike Schmidt Martin Sack The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder European Journal of Psychotraumatology autonomic nervous system avoidance dissociative disorder face in the mirror impedance cardiography mirror-confrontation parasympathetic post-traumatic stress disorder self-perception sympathetic |
| title | The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder |
| title_full | The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder |
| title_fullStr | The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder |
| title_short | The enemy in the mirror: self-perception-induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder |
| title_sort | enemy in the mirror self perception induced stress results in dissociation of psychological and physiological responses in patients with dissociative disorder |
| topic | autonomic nervous system avoidance dissociative disorder face in the mirror impedance cardiography mirror-confrontation parasympathetic post-traumatic stress disorder self-perception sympathetic |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2018.1472991 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT evaschaflein theenemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT heribertsattel theenemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT ulrikeschmidt theenemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT martinsack theenemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT evaschaflein enemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT heribertsattel enemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT ulrikeschmidt enemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder AT martinsack enemyinthemirrorselfperceptioninducedstressresultsindissociationofpsychologicalandphysiologicalresponsesinpatientswithdissociativedisorder |