Skip to main content

Dissociation

 

    What is Dissociation?

    Dissociation is being disconnected from the here and now. Everyone occasionally has times of daydreaming or mind wandering, which is normal. Sometimes dissociation is a way of coping by avoiding negative thoughts or feelings related to memories of traumatic events. When people are dissociating they disconnect from their surroundings, which can stop the trauma memories and lower fear, anxiety and shame. Dissociation can happen during the trauma or later on when thinking about or being reminded of the trauma. When dissociation is connected to trauma memories or reminders, it is considered an avoidance coping strategy. The difference from active avoidance (on purpose avoiding thinking about or doing something) is that dissociation tends to happen without planning or even awareness. Many times, people who are dissociating are not even aware that it is happening, other people notice it. Just like other types of avoidance, dissociation can interfere with facing up and getting over a trauma or an unrealistic fear. It can also interfere with school or doing other activities that require paying attention and being in the here and now. Dissociation commonly goes along with traumatic events and PTSD.

    What does dissociation look like?

     Spacing out; day dreaming 
     Glazed look; staring
     Mind going blank
     Mind wandering
     Sense of world not being real
     Watching self from outside
     Detachment from self or identity
     Out of body experience
     Disconnected from surroundings

    Dissociation as avoidance coping 

    This usually happens because of a traumatic event. Being powerless to do anything to change or stop a traumatic event may lead people to disconnect from the situation to cope with feelings of helplessness, fear or pain. Dissociation can help people get through to the end of the traumatic experience. People who dissociate during trauma are more likely to develop a pattern of dissociating as a coping strategy. 

    Since everyone spaces out or day dreams sometimes, it is only when dissociation interferes with everyday life that it is necessary to get help for it. Dissociation may persist because it is a way of not having negative feelings in the moment, but it is never a cure. Too much dissociating can slow or prevent recovery from the impact of trauma or PTSD. Dissociation can become a problem in itself. Blanking out interferes with doing well at school. It can lead to passively going along in risky situations. Facing up to trauma and learning the impact can be handled is the cure for dissociation. The good news is that there is help for dissociation. Most of the time the person who is dissociating does not realize it is happening. Therefore others have to help out at least in the beginning. The key strategy to deal with dissociation is grounding. Grounding means connecting back into the here and now.

    Other Disorders that can Involve Dissociation

Many people who experience dissociation or depersonalization have a co-occuring disorder or condition. Some kinds of dissociation can occur alongside the following conditions: 
      • post-traumatic stress disorder
      • depression
      • schizophrenia
      • epilepsy
      • obsessive-compulsive disorder
      • phobic disorder
      • migraines

    How to help?

    Here are some examples of exercises that will help bring someone out of a dissociative state:

    • 5 Senses

      • If someone is in a dissociative state, ask them to describe what each of their senses are experiencing. For example, what can you hear right now? What can you feel around you? What can you see? What can you smell right now? What can you taste?

    • Grounding

      • There are many ways to practice grounding exercises. Some grounding exercises that we find most helpful include giving the person in a dissociative state something to taste or feel. Ways you can do this is by giving them a candy and asking them to describe the taste and sensation. Another way to do this is put an object in their hands and ask them to describe the way it feels.

    • Focused sight

      • Focused sight techniques include asking the person in a dissociative state to look at something in the room and focus on it. Ask them to describe everything about it, ask them questions about it to try and bring their attention back to the present moment.

    • Ice cubes

      • Have the person in a dissociative state hold ice cubes (or a frozen apple, orange, or frozen bag of vegetables, etc) in their hands. The cold temperature will bring them back to the moment by causing an unavoidable sensation in the present moment.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An indepth look at D.I.D. Myths

THIS IS NOT AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF DID MTHYS Myth: Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is only about having multiple personalities. Fact : DID is a disorder characterized by having dissociated parts (alters) as a result of chronic childhood trauma. While alters are the best-known symptom of this disorder, they aren't the only or even necessarily the main symptom. Because DID is the result of trauma, it's highly comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), and flashbacks, emotional numbing, nightmares, emotional dysregulation, and pessimism about the future are common. Individuals with DID often have other comorbid disorders as well, including mood disorders (such as major depressive disorder), anxiety disorders (such as social anxiety disorder), personality disorders (such as borderline personality disorder (BPD)), eating disorders (such as anorexia nervosa), or conversion disorder (American Psychiatric Association (APA),
Post a Comment
Read more

information about survivors’ needs

 Brief information for supporters about survivors’ needs  cited from First Person Plural Partners, family, and friends of someone who has a complex dissociative disorder play a key role in supporting them to cope with everyday living and in their journey towards their own recovery. It may seem like an overwhelming or impossible task but there are many relatively simple things you can do.  For instance, understanding the huge importance of consistency, stability, structure, routine and predictability needed by your loved one in day to day living goes a long way towards helping them feel safe. It helps if you can remember to relate to your loved one, however they are presenting, with understanding, empathy, trust and to be nonjudgemental.  Supporting someone who has a complex dissociative disorder is challenging and, at times, hard. The person’s needs can be rapidly fluctuating and it is important that the level of support at any one time is enough, not too little and definitely not too
Post a Comment
Read more

Things you can do to help if I have been triggered and/or have switched into a distressed headmate

 For supporters / professionals who do not have special relationships with my different headmates:  ™ Stop what you are doing  ™ Keep your voice calm and gentle (firm admonishment – no matter how calmly toned is not usually helpful, it is particularly not helpful when addressed to a terrified child who will always experience it as a threat)  ™ Do not touch – not even a gentle hand of reassurance or guidance – unless in my distress I am in immediate danger which I have not noticed e.g. walking into traffic  ™ Tell me where I am, why I am there, who you are, tell me the date (year included) Where? may need detail e.g . not just name of town but precise location and further explanation if necessary. It can also be helpful to point out objects in the environment which emphasise it being now, not then e.g. a computer  ™ Reassure me that I am in a safe place now  ™ Encourage me to take slow, deep breaths  ™ Encourage me to sit up or stand with my feet on the floor  ™ If I am pacing or wal
Post a Comment
Read more