I think this is a needed discussion. Thank you.
I like the look at avoidance as a form of what we call dissociation, and as a deliberate action. I wouldn't call dissociation "learned," since the connotation is that it is not really done unless one goes out of their way to learn it, like Karate. Dissociation is not so much "learned" as increased from the baseline in a habitual way. Some people sigh at work when they face a daunting task; some drink more coffee; some listen to music; and, some dissociate when no other thing is at hand. Studies show that even people with no disorders will have rerealisation and depersonalization from normal but heavy work stress. They are in the middle of a project that will determine their whole career, and when they go home, they don't recognize the person in the mirror for a day and it freaks them out. So, dissociation is a natural reaction to stress; it is normal for it to be transient, but when a child grows up in survival mode due to long-term or severe, repeat abuse, dissociation along with developmental stages, mutates our development so that we dissociate more deeply and more often, and may even fragment our identity (in the case of DID) as a result. That is the theory. (There is a lack of consensus because we are still just learning about this, and ourselves.)
Maybe this is learned, and apparently psychologists do teach it to chronic pain suffers. Dissociation is adaptive behavior. In a sense, as we all do it, it is no more "learned" than breathing or walking. It is a tool we all have, but most of us use it only under extreme stress. Those who grew up under extreme stress regularly, do it more than others. That's all.
When I experience physical pain for more than a few minutes, I grow dizzy and feel like I'm leaving my body. This is, to me, dissociation, because I do not choose it. In fact, only since learning about PTSD and dissociation, do I accept that that's what I'm likely doing. I used to think everyone had this reaction.
From watching my reactions more, I'm noticing more that I hold my breath or breathe very shallow when in pain, whether that pain is emotional or physical. Even when I ran sprints in track, I was passing out after a good race. The trainer told me she was watching me run and that when I reached the last hundred yards of the 4x4, my diaphram stopped moving up and down, and she said "You're holding your breath." "Why?" I asked. She said, "I don't know," and just had a serious expression. PTSD includes holding your breath, during stressors, but when you also dissociate, it goes further. I have lost consciousness and just gone blacked out for several minutes under fear triggers that resembled the original traumas. Even though the situation was not as dire, it triggered me to stop breathing, but that is not why I lost consciousness (it is a learned thing- you just "go away," then I was waking up later. This is the most severe dissociation form, but it happens very seldom, even if you have it.
I like the look at avoidance as a form of what we call dissociation, and as a deliberate action. I wouldn't call dissociation "learned," since the connotation is that it is not really done unless one goes out of their way to learn it, like Karate. Dissociation is not so much "learned" as increased from the baseline in a habitual way. Some people sigh at work when they face a daunting task; some drink more coffee; some listen to music; and, some dissociate when no other thing is at hand. Studies show that even people with no disorders will have rerealisation and depersonalization from normal but heavy work stress. They are in the middle of a project that will determine their whole career, and when they go home, they don't recognize the person in the mirror for a day and it freaks them out. So, dissociation is a natural reaction to stress; it is normal for it to be transient, but when a child grows up in survival mode due to long-term or severe, repeat abuse, dissociation along with developmental stages, mutates our development so that we dissociate more deeply and more often, and may even fragment our identity (in the case of DID) as a result. That is the theory. (There is a lack of consensus because we are still just learning about this, and ourselves.)
Maybe this is learned, and apparently psychologists do teach it to chronic pain suffers. Dissociation is adaptive behavior. In a sense, as we all do it, it is no more "learned" than breathing or walking. It is a tool we all have, but most of us use it only under extreme stress. Those who grew up under extreme stress regularly, do it more than others. That's all.
When I experience physical pain for more than a few minutes, I grow dizzy and feel like I'm leaving my body. This is, to me, dissociation, because I do not choose it. In fact, only since learning about PTSD and dissociation, do I accept that that's what I'm likely doing. I used to think everyone had this reaction.
From watching my reactions more, I'm noticing more that I hold my breath or breathe very shallow when in pain, whether that pain is emotional or physical. Even when I ran sprints in track, I was passing out after a good race. The trainer told me she was watching me run and that when I reached the last hundred yards of the 4x4, my diaphram stopped moving up and down, and she said "You're holding your breath." "Why?" I asked. She said, "I don't know," and just had a serious expression. PTSD includes holding your breath, during stressors, but when you also dissociate, it goes further. I have lost consciousness and just gone blacked out for several minutes under fear triggers that resembled the original traumas. Even though the situation was not as dire, it triggered me to stop breathing, but that is not why I lost consciousness (it is a learned thing- you just "go away," then I was waking up later. This is the most severe dissociation form, but it happens very seldom, even if you have it.
