What is Dissociation?
Dissociation occurs when an individual feels disconnected from their thoughts, feelings, memories or surroundings. This escape from reality is usually involuntary and may serve as a coping mechanism to avoid certain stressors or anxieties. For example, a person who has experienced a trauma may dissociate as a response to that event. This is typically seen in anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Symptoms of dissociation can include:- Having an out-of-body experience
- Memory loss surrounding certain events, time periods, people or personal information
- Blurred sense of identity
- Feeling like you’re a different person
- Inability to cope well with stress
- Feeling emotionally numb or detached
- Significant stress or issues in your relationships or professional life
Why Dissociation Happens
Dissociation can be thought of as a spectrum. At one end is everyday dissociation that resembles daydreaming. Further down the spectrum is dissociating as a defense mechanism to cope with trauma, stressful events or overwhelming emotions. At the other end of the spectrum are dissociative disorders. These mental health conditions are usually a response to severe trauma, such as physical or sexual abuse as a child.Trauma
If something bad happens to you, you may psychologically disconnect from reality. This is your mind’s way of protecting you from the full impact of a traumatic experience and is referred to as peritraumatic dissociation. This can occur after traumatic situations such as:- Childhood abuse
- Sexual or physical assault
- Natural disasters
- Car accidents
- Capture or torture
- Combat
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative identity disorder (DID), previously known as multiple personality disorder, is a mental health condition affecting 1.5% of the population. This disorder is characterized by extreme dissociation where the individual switches to alternative identities. Each identity may have a unique name, personal characteristics, physical qualities, mannerisms or voice. These different personalities, or alters, may serve a unique purpose for those with DID. For example, only certain alters may remember the details of a traumatic event, while other alters act as safety nets and have no recollection of the event at all. This disorder is typically associated with severe childhood trauma or abuse, and symptoms can include:- The existence of two or more distinct identities characterized by changes in memory, thinking and behavior
- Ongoing memory gaps regarding past traumatic events, everyday situations or personal information
- Great distress or issues with social relationships, work or other areas of functioning
Is Dissociation Bad?
Dissociative disorders are often badly portrayed in the media. People in movies or books who dissociate are perceived as the villain and may commit horrible crimes. This is a poor misconception, as people who dissociate aren’t doing it because they’re dangerous to others. So, is dissociation bad? If you find yourself wondering “Why do I dissociate?”, you may be perceiving a danger toward yourself. After experiencing a trauma or a stressful life event, this may be your mind’s way of keeping difficult memories at bay. When dissociating, you may feel closed off from others and unable to break free from your catatonic state. In most cases, people in this state are unable to hurt others. Occasional dissociation isn’t harmful and many people can snap back to reality on their own with little to no consequences. However, dissociating too often may cause complications, such as finding it difficult to interact with the outside world. People with DID may find it hard to form trusting relationships with others, especially if they don’t remember important details about things they did or said. Certain alters may also form destructive habits, such as excessive drinking, reckless behavior or suicidal thoughts. If you tend to dissociate to avoid stressful situations or bad memories, you may be wondering how to dissociate in a healthy way or if that’s even possible. Dissociating can protect you from painful memories, but it doesn’t address the root of the problem causing dissociation to begin with.How to Better Handle Your Mental Health
Knowing how to help someone dissociating can improve their overall quality of life and make them feel comfortable. Anger or frustration is often counterproductive and may cause an individual to dissociate further. Asking someone questions and trying to understand their experience may encourage them to open up to you and help them feel safe. If you’re someone who needs help with dissociation, learning a few grounding techniques can make it easier to physically and mentally connect with the outside world. Some examples are:- Listening to sounds around you
- Breathing slowly
- Taking a short walk
- Picking up and touching nearby items
- Imagining yourself leaving painful memories behind
- Picturing the face or voice of someone you love
