What Dissociation Actually Feels Like

[triplegrace]

I had this issue when my children were young. I read that all I needed was to spend 15 minutes a day connecting with each child. Just 15 min looking into their eyes. Asking questions about how they felt about things and what was going on with them. It took the pressure off. I could handle 15 minutes. God bless you. Being a parent has been the hardest thing in my life but, by far the most rewarding.

[thetherrannative]

The worst situations are the ones that are no one’s fault but make everyone suffer.

[christinek]

This little skits are such eye openers. You can hear something described and not realise it may have been your life but seeing these played out like this, really evokes a lot of feeling and resonates in a way that a description can't. Thank you for these xx

[zina]

This was how my mom was. Chronic stress turned her into a dissociated parent for about 12 years. Unfortunately, she was completely checked out during my late childhood through my early adulthood. She stopped parenting, so I got into situations that put me at great risk and danger as a young girl. I ended up making a pattern of bad choices with men due to loneliness and lack of self worth. She was not able to recognize this and protect me. I understand why this happened, but it still makes me cry.

[Hawaiiansky]

The inability to look the other person in the eye - is a very real thing.

[dragonthewolf]

I love how not only does this person explain how a parents behavior effect’s their child but also what the parents reason for their behavior might be. It really gives you some insight into why things where the way they where.

[alleyzipzero]

This brought out instant sobbing in me. I’m so sorry to moms that want to connect with their kids but struggle with dissociation. It’s truly the worst feeling ever and I’m so sorry and wish you healing ❤

[theautuitiveishere]

I'm a mom with adhd and trauma. I dissociate sometimes but I try SO hard to be there and not repeat the trauma.

[meganboese]

My mom was this way. It was really bad. When i got older i learned more about how strong she really is. She really was doing her best. Thankfully shes gotten theraphy and has done a lot of self work and is actually present more often now. It still blows my mind how much progress shes made. So proud of my mama

[soulstice]

I remember sobbing when I realized what dissociating was. I always felt so guilty that I wasn't a good mom for my kids. I swore that I would be a better mom than mine was but there are times where something triggers dissociation and I'll be stuck in it for days or weeks. I try really hard to connect with my kids but some days it feels impossible. I've told them if I'm ever sitting on the couch or somewhere, they're more than welcome to come sit with me, sit on my lap, or give me a hug. Sometimes I'll sit there dissociating and holding one of my kids can pull me out of it. I'll lay on the floor to ground myself sometimes and my kids will bring coloring books and crayons and hand me one to color with them.

[shessupersalty]

People wonder why we stopped having kids... our parents taught us children were burdens and money stresses.

[msthanonly]

When I witness a great relationship of mother and daughter I start getting emotional, I instantly grieve the emotional loss of my mom. She has zero emotion availability and will never ask me about my life. She is tuned out of life and just won’t engage me or care of anything about me. It’s truly disappointing when I have to mention this person is supposed to be my “mom” but it feels more like a stranger.

[Iamaperson]

This is why mental health care for EVERYONE would be so beneficial. Not only would it help to have more emotionally mature adults who can communicate their differences effectively and with care, it would help to raise generations of individuals with stability and comfort and a mutual respect for each other. Crime would go down because we would be able to treat people preventatively, and keeping a close eye so when the first signs of potential issues pop up, we could put the proper interventions in place. Really it would just promote empathy and respect, which is honestly the biggest threat to human life right now because it impacts everything corporations and government leaders do.

[PaperParade]

This was 100% (and still is) my mother. I became extremely volatile emotionally as a way to get my needs met, and I still struggle with not getting automatically triggered when I am ignored, unheard or don’t receive a relatively prompt response in most settings. But she and I have been able to make a lot of peace and I have a lot of compassion for her. I’m truly glad she is my mom regardless of her failures or mistakes.

[targaghjj]

Love to everyone going through whichever stage they are in with this. This one hit so hard.

[karynbanksley]

This describes my father during my childhood. He was a hard worker and always came home to the family after work, never to the bar. And he was never abusive nor unfaithful to my mom. He was an excellent provider for our needs. But because of health issues that greatly exhausted him, work stress, & childhood abuse (from his dad), he was just like this. I did not realize until I was 20 years old that he loved and cared about me.

[NixieEppler]

I’m a young mom with PTSD, dissociation eats up hours of my day every day. I’m a stay at home mom and the isolation can make grounding extremely difficult. I do my best to ground myself by playing with my son when I’m able to. Since he’s a toddler, his toys and activities and interests are all very visually and tactiley stimulating. He’s got no clue that singing the ABCs over and over and sorting out the blocks by color are doing just as much for me as it is for him ❤

[Suzuro]

This got me in my feels, I've been extremely dissociated and in a terrible mental state because of it for nearly a year (since December 15th) to the point I can't function or work, and I don't feel like a person anymore.
I hope everyone going through something similar eventually gets to a point where they feel anything again. Good luck to all my fellow trauma survivors.

[AZheatherrr]

I’m crying so hard. I wish my kids knew how much I love them

[amandalynn]

I had a patient once who I will never forget. She had two sons who were beyond rambunctious, play fighting in the clinic, running around, running into patients, screaming, shouting, just totally out of control wildlings. And poor mum is just completely disassociated. She was gone. Was obvious she loved them very much, but she was taxed to the max with them and life. Felt so bad for her. Her kids weren't even the biggest stressors. I think I would've disassociated too.