What Is Dissociation & How Do We Deal With It?

I'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos!
#katimorton #therapist #therapy

MY BOOKS (in stores now)

ONLINE THERAPY

Join this channel to get access to perks:

YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CHANNEL BY SHOPPING WITH OUR AFFILIATE LINKS

PARTNERSHIP

PLEASE READ
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.

[rayijamona]

For me it feels like my mind is asleep and everything i do is on auto-pilot.

[sm]

I feel numb. Like a robot. Its hard to do anything. Kinda coldhearted. Its weird cause im such an emotional person.

[heyhey-jayjay]

It’s really nice and calming when you say “mkay?” Like you’re checking in on us and making sure we didn’t zone out. It’s really pleasant

[momokolove]

"talk about all the details of your trauma"
well
you see
i barely remember them.

[Sunnybias]

Stress is the biggest trigger for my dissociation - whenever I get stressed, I start to "zoom out": my sight gets blurred, I can't talk or think, I feel like my body is shaking, I can't do anything. I just become a zombie on the edge of a breakdown... and it can last many many days until the stress factors gets less. This affects my exams atm, I just stay in a stress bubble and can't do what I'm supposed to... I hate it!! And yes I suffer from PTSD too which most with dissociation does. It sucks.

[sanguinesoulful]

The brain is really clever when you think about it. It knows when some horrible $h1+ is about to go down and just NOPES right TF out.

[sparklegirlsies]

I went from mentally healthy, to crying daily, to lack of emotion over the past few years. its like I see my past selves as completely separated people

[burntpieceoftoast]

Chronic disassociator here.
Repeat trauma victim too.
Sometimes I feel like I live in a state of disassociation.
I know I'm not alone.
Y'all stay strong out there. I'm trying too.

[ab-fmvq]

sometimes u dont even realize u been dissociating n it’s been like all day

[Leila_Abner]

For me my mind just goes blank and I just start staring into space...I don't even realize I'm doing it, I've even done it during work and my coworkers had to snap me out of it...

[gremli]

I've had bad dissociation for years but I haven't had any heavy traumas in my life. Idk, I feel like I got dissociation simply because my brain got too overwhelmed with school and toxic people and my parents being not the greatest, but they're not abusive, and the amount of expectations and to-dos on my back. So from there it makes me feel invalidated. If anyone is feeling the same way, you're not alone. Just do your best, just what you're capable of doing right now.

Also! I have found no way to ground myself. I just can't find anything. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[totakikay]

there’s so much in my mind. when i feel disassociated- i don’t feel like me (basically). autopilot. deadpan feelings. loss of self awareness. loss of self identity. weird daydream feelings like world/reality is fake... i get panicked questioning my existence. to physically snap out- i take off my glasses, stare at a nearby bright color object, tap my hands, and breathe exercise and think positive.

[jenniferweaver]

Something that has helped me when I dissociate is to sit on the floor and run my hands back and forth over the carpet and focus on how it feels. In conjunction with this sometimes I repeat out loud my name, age, where I am now, and that I am far away from that which has hurt me in the past and that I am safe now. I also found that sometimes it helps to wrap a blanket around yourself while doing this.

[pabletoday]

I have struggled with dissociation since i was 3. When this happens it almost feels like nothing is real. I am ina simulation. My entire world gets destroyed. Its hell. I stop recognizing faces, I can see my mom and dad and feel no comfort in them. But when it goes away its the best, its like waking up from a nightmare.

[SodaSpeakNow]

Does anyone else disassociate when you are in the “blue zone” rather just the “red zone”? (So when you are feeling under stimulated/sad rather that stressed/angry)

[feardotcm]

I disassociate from having PTSD. I feel like I'm not really there. Feels like I'm in a dream.

[helenalena]

Sometimes dissociation for me Is like "Oh my god I can't control myself I'm not in my body, somebody else is taking over and they'll tell my secrets or say something stupid

[bgbg]

it's absolutely destroyed my life from top to bottom. it's an unbelievably difficult thing to actually live with. it happens alot after flashbacks which occur multiple times a day. I can't tell who I am anymore and I have no connection to the life I live and haven't for decades. it's a shame survivors of abuse are left with such deep scars, it seems like another victory for the abuser to me.

[defendthewild]

What has helped me is simply snapping a rubber band against my wrist. It brings you into the current moment. It literally 'snaps you back in reality.'

[annavillalpando]

I talk to myself (in my head) tell myself it’s ok. I’m here. I’m fine. Nothing is going on. I’m safe. That’s what I do when I disassociate. I disassociate when I am feeling extremely overwhelmed in the moment. Not fun.