You may have heard the term “dissociation” before or seen representations of it in the media. It can sound like a big or scary word, but it is a fairly common experience in the face of trauma and even in daily life. Keep reading to learn more about what dissociation is, how it manifests, and what you can do if you think you might be experiencing dissociative symptoms.

What is Dissociation? 

According to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISST-D), dissociation is “a process in which a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories, behaviors, physical sensations, or sense of identity.” In simple terms, dissociation can be thought of as a mental escape from reality. Dissociation is an involuntary process. It is not a conscious choice to check out but rather something our brains and bodies can do without our awareness.

Dissociation can be conceptualized as existing on a spectrum. On the mild end of this spectrum are common, everyday experiences that pretty much all of us have, like daydreaming or feeling zoned out. On the more severe end of this spectrum lie diagnosable dissociative disorders. See here for a visual representation of this spectrum.

How Dissociation Relates to Trauma

Traumatic events are by nature highly stressful and overwhelming to our systems. During a traumatic experience, dissociation can occur as a protective response. Our brains and bodies are trying to shield us from the physical and emotional overwhelm of the experience by offering a mental escape when physical escape is not possible. As the ISST-D notes, some people who have experienced dissociation describe it as a way of “switching off” in the face of extreme stress. Dissociation is a healthy and adaptive way of coping with the trauma when it is happening.

For some, dissociation continues beyond the conclusion of the traumatic event(s). It can be a means of trying to keep memories of painful and disturbing experiences at a distance. Though well-intentioned, dissociation can be confusing and scary for those who experience it. When symptoms do not go away and become disruptive to daily life, a dissociative disorder may be present.

Types of Dissociative Disorders

 On the clinical end of the dissociative spectrum, dissociation can take several forms. The types of dissociation are:

• Depersonalization. Depersonalization is the feeling of being disconnected or detached from your body. Symptoms or experiences associated with depersonalization include:

  • Feeling like you are watching yourself from above

  • Feeling like parts of your body are not real

  • Physical or emotional numbing

• Derealization. Derealization is the experience of your surroundings feeling unreal, altered, or dream-like. Symptoms or experiences associated with derealization include:

  • Experiencing the world as though you are watching a movie or playing a video game

  • Distortions in things you see or hear

  • Feeling like your surroundings are fake or far away

• Dissociative Amnesia. When a person is unable to remember major events or parts of their life due to trauma, they are experiencing dissociative amnesia. Dissociative amnesia differs from normal forgetfulness, and its symptoms include:

  • Forgetting parts or all of a traumatic event, or feeling like the trauma didn’t happen to you

  • Having gaps in memory or forgetting parts of your day

  • Inability to remember conversations you have had or tasks you have completed

• Identity Alteration/Dissociative Identity Disorder. The ISST-D defines identity alteration as, “the sense of having a part or parts which feel very different from yourself.” People experiencing identity alteration may feel that some emotions, memories, or behaviors are not theirs or like they belong to someone else. The furthest manifestation of identity alteration is known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, in which the fragmentation of a person’s sense of self results in two or more discrete personalities. Symptoms or experiences associated with identity alteration include:

  • Having a feeling of being more than one person or of having someone else inside you

  • Hearing voices internally

  • Gaps in memory of personal information or everyday events

Treating Dissociation

If any of the above symptoms or experiences sound familiar, know that trauma-related dissociation is treatable. EMDR therapy can help you reintegrate all parts of yourself and heal the experiences that prompted the dissociation to start occurring. Contact me today to learn more.

Source: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).