Dissociative Disorders Not Otherwise Specificied (DDNOS) is a category of disorders that manifest with dissociative symptoms but fail to meet the diagnostic criteria for any of the dissociative syndromes described. An example of DDNOS is Ganser syndrome. This entity occurs primarily in men (80%) and is currently regarded as a dissociative means of withdrawal from a traumatic or stressful circumstance. It is characterized by absurd or approximate responses to interview dialogue, a dazed or clouded level of consciousness, somatic conversion symptoms (eg, pseudoparalysis), hallucinations, and, frequently, anterograde amnesia regarding the episode. Patients who demonstrate this phenomenon characteristically have an underlying cluster B personality disorder and, as such, may have a past history of abuse or other trauma. In general, these patients are at higher risk for dissociative symptoms when under stress.

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Reviewed: 04/2006