“How can I manage this dissociation?” A simple method of dealing with a dissociative event

In this video from The CTAD Clinic, Dr Mike Lloyd (Clinic Director) follows on the previous video about the timing of dissociative events with a self-help method of managing dissociation in the moment. While this is ideally recommended for working through in therapy, there are aspects which, when practiced, can then be used independently to notice and communicate safety to the self.

This is suitable for people with any type of dissociation, including #depersonalization, #Derealization, #OtherspecifiedDissociativeDisorders #OSDD and #DissociativeIdentityDisorder #DID
#therapy #dissociation #trauma

[Elya]

Omg! Thank you so much for this! I was dissociating while trying to watch your video and “thanked my parts for trying to protect me”, and then said, “I’ve got this. It’s okay. I’m safe. I’m in (safe location).”

The dissociation and weird fogginess gently lifted.

[Taztheofficial]

Sitting here watching while being dissociated

[kyliehodges]

I call my dissociation a parachute. I tell it ‘The plane door is shut disengage the parachute’ Nice to know I’m doing the right thing! My dissociation comes on really quickly so I needed a technique I can employ in a hurry, ironically like a parachute!

[purkleL]

This has been a revelation for me over the past few days, I have been through a lot of therapy around BPD and dissociation, but this strategy of telling my brain that I am safe was never discussed, and this has helped me significantly. Thank you.

[xx-sof-xx]

I hope we someday get therapy like this. Sadly we live in denmark and have been struggling with the psychiatry for over a decade now, but I'm trying to keep my head high by watching your videos. There's hope for us ❤

[MichaelSmithfu]

Haven't seen you in a while bro.
Just want to let you know that you and a lot of other honest therapists have helped me with ur online videos. You do a especially good job balancing kindness and honest support.
I was trying so hard to understand so many things all at once.
There are a couple key things that you said that helped me. 1 was .. you pointed out that your videos aren't meant to help with diagnosis; you explained the intention of therapy. The other was a simple statement that you made: "your feelings are valid".
I was so lost in the mirrors of my mind and I wanted out so bad. That simple affirmation helped me particularly because, at the time, I couldn't believe in myself in any way.
Thx man..

[Cathy-xicb]

Absolutely essential to orient to the present time. Once I got better at doing that, life got much easier. My therapist told me that there are experts who believe that people w/DID are constantly in a trance-like state. Feels that way to me way too often. In that, I am much more vulnerable if I don't orient to the present time. My system is not ever 100% sure what year it really is.

[tamarabonde]

Update on me: Decided not to go to the family reunion to avoid feeling unsafe. So true. Fight or flight when no place or person to flee from or fight because it's only in my mind. Working on not going into freeze. This is so helpful ty Dr :) blessings.

[lor]

The last 2 videos made everything clear. I’m somewhat newly diagnosed (3 yrs) and 60 years old. I’ve watched so many videos and been so confused. I hyper-analytical and I have serious issues with amnesia off and on in my life. I’ve wondered who was fronting during those times and where they are now and it’s so confusing because I also know I’m aware I was there the entire time. I have just enough information from my life to get by I guess. My grandma was the only one that questioned why I didn’t remember very much from when we lived together (11yrs-15 1/2yrs old) She asked me one day where “Lori” was and I was right there. I didn’t understand but I think she knew something was up. At any rate, I’m old. I don’t really care anymore if I remember. I just want to stop forgetting. Your second video, I AM SURE will help. I have been working on self soothing type things recently (like talking back to my brain when it tells I’m a useless piece of flesh when I make a simple mistake and reminding it kindly that I’m human and because of that I will make mistakes and that is how we learn.
Your second video, combined with what I am already doing, will be a game changer I am certain! Thank you thank you thank you 🙏

[RobbieLValentine]

Thanks to EL for recommending Mike’s videos to me. ❤ Robbie x

[andersonsystem]

Thank you DR Mike because dissociative states do suck and our system is trying to manage this .

[calli]

your videos have helped
me tremendously, but one thing i cannot grasp is how to cope when i’m still going through the trauma that is worsening my condition. im at the tip of the iceberg, dont have a diagnosis, and still discovering myself and seeking out hard to find, reliable resources to help me. i currently cannot escape my situation and have weighed my options, and i know patience and hope is my only shot here. those are the things i’ve always struggled with. its hard watching my downfall, worsening every day no matter how hard i try, and still seemingly getting nowhere. i put my all into my recovery and try and invest in a bright future everyday but i can barely recognize my face in the mirror anymore, and all i see is disappointment. it hurts to have nearly no support system from others or myself. i wont give up but everyday it gets harder to get up everyday💔

[redpaintedwoman]

Thanks for your video! Unfortunately the first step - asking: are you safe - has never really worked for me. I never look around myself and genuinely go: yes, I'm safe. This might be due to my autism, but I have always perceived exisiting in general as painful and therefore not safe. Might be due to sensory inputs, the feeling of my body in general as uncomfortable or painful in some sense or other people who never truly feel safe to me either. Unfortunately, this hasn't been something a therapist has been able to help me with. It always feels like: if I can't do this first step, they don't know what to do either. I think this is a general problem disabled people face in therapy: care that is available and tailored to their specific needs. Has this been something you have come upon in your work? Thank you for your always interesting videos, I feel they really come from a caring place and that means a lot. :)

[flynngPP]

Thank you Mike, for your videos and the work you are doing and sharing. Great to establish and notice the external and determine, Am I safe. That is important I agree. I would add, if there is time and no immediate danger, so no urgency and if this is possible then listen to yourself, your brain, what has a part/s of you picked up on. Hear what yourself is saying in order to make ongoing informed decisions putting that together with all the other information you have including what you have noticed and learn from the external and what you are aware of. You might not like what yourself is saying or agree, important though in my view not to emotionally invalidate or silence oneself. That, In my experience in the long run it worsens dissociation. Often people with trauma related dissociation have trouble recognising when it is safe and when it is unsafe, especially in a relational context. Emotional safety is important too. That’s my take on it anyway, I’m not a therapist though and it’s just what I have learnt from my experiences and I could be wrong!

[jedijenmemaw]

Have to try these. Thank you Dr. Mike 🙂

[spooki]

your channel is honestly so amazing, helpful and educational. thanks for what you do!

[myrakingscott]

Thank you once again for a really compassionate & helpful video, it’s helped me understand something my therapist said/asked last week.

[binarystar]

Thanks for this video dr Mike, to the point and practical as always. I have had some succes with this kind of strategy, mostly when the dissociation/onset to a switch comes in slowly and I am on my own. But I find it very difficult to feel safe with my therapist, due to very substantial and prolonged abuse by a former therapist. My (present) therapist and the therapy setting are triggers for me, so I typically feel UNsafe when orienting myself in the therapy room and asking myself if I am safe. I rationally know and understand that this is due to past trauma inflicted by a (another, not this) therapist, but this doesn't convince my brain that I am safe and don't need to dissociate/switch. Hopefully it will in the future... but how to get there?
Do you have tips for this, from clincial practice (dr Mike) or experience (viewers of this video)?

[Sieggis]

Yea, I know I get massive panic attack at specific big stores and I think I more like... Use the dissociation to keep that part like away from the active front and it just runs around inside, or cries or screams or whatnot, but like, I keep it kinda aside, not push away and just tell that all is good, because ppl will help if we faint, ppl will help if we can't breathe, ppl will help if everything crushes on us, but nothing can stop us from doing our grocery shopping till that point and I don't intend to stop just because it feels like the end of the world is here. It's just a feeling and it's not fitting for the present and I can let go of it.

And it's really weird. Starts like few moments I've walked in and stops when I walk out. Very cool ^^' I try not to avoid, but I know I do avoid by preferring any other store, because it's incredibly draining to just power through.

[warriorgirl]

Thanks Mike! Very helpful information that can be practiced inside and outside of therapy. ❤️