Einstein And 'dissociation'

[BuckarooBanzai]

I've only thought of dissin' as a manifestation of pathology,

Dissociation exists on a spectrum. At the 'normal' level we have so-called "highway hypnosis". At the far extreme of the spectrum we have the trauma-related DID and the non-trauma related forms we note in people such as Einstein.

 

[EmmaOwl]

@BuckarooBanzai
Let's dissociate.....freedom comes with release.........

Ok now this sounds like why I have panic attacks when I try to meditate! ;)

 

[void]

@Allie D.

It is not amusing to me to think that you would read that article.
I apologize for giving you that impression.:sorry:
By all means, do read it, if you have an interest in the topic.

Many of the things that I read and/or care about are not interesting to the vast majority of people. I have spent my entire life watching people's eyes glaze over whenever I talk about my interests. As a consequence, I often give disclaimers like I did with you. I'm just used to people being dismissive toward me and my interests. The article is quite long and its content arcane, I just didn't think that anyone would care.

I hope you'll forgive my ineptitude.:sorry:

Be well.

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

now this sounds like why I have panic attacks when I try to meditate

:)

@void
Thanks for the fascinating link!

 

[void]

@BuckarooBanzai

I'm pleased you enjoyed it! :happy:

Be well.:happy:

 

[EmmaOwl]

@Allie D.

It is not amusing to me to think that you would read that article.
I apologi...

It's ok. I want to write a little more, but I wanted to at least say, it's okay. I feel very defensive about... Well. I broke down while in grad school, I sort of disappeared right in the middle - and years later I'm still messed up about that. I know I'm not as sharp as I used to be. One of the most noticeable things (to me) is that I've still got a pretty good vocabulary, but I can't always recall the word I'm trying to say. Sometimes I recall the obscure words and not the everyday ones. Spelling? Forget spelling. I am easily embarrassed.

Other than that, technical language doesn't bother me. I like to learn, read, and discuss all kinds of subjects that seem arcane to others. From a very early age I've been aware of my family's focus on education whether formal or not, the ability to argue or "discuss" as my mother prefers to call it .. and so on... I've been lucky in the environments that I've had access to...again, before PTSD kinda crushed me and took away some of the abilities I used to have. But I work very hard to keep up what I have left and to add things, too. That's one of my most important goals, in trying to live with PTSD among other things.

I did read the article and was interested and thanks for posting it. If you've got anything else that you think is too obscure, feel free to throw it at me! - and I mean that 100%. I promise that my eyes only glaze over when I'm sleepy, or occasionally if I'm overmedicated (as sometimes happens, to my great embarrassment. But I promise I'll let you know if I'm in that state!)

Takeaway: I totally care! ;) I'm up down and all around, whether from PTSD or if it's my own quirkiness. I'm sorry you've had bad experiences trying to discuss your interests.

And I'm sorry I was sensitive. I see that you weren't trying to disparage me

 

[void]

@Allie D.

Ty.
No worries.
I regard you exclusively positively.:happy:
Peace.

 

[Leni]

Is staring into a wall for an extended period of time while being somehow 'unable' to make myself do anything else (like, perhaps, something I should do) called dissociation? Or is it just 'zoning out?' I used to do that a lot as a kid. I've never thought much about it, but now I'm starting to think that it perhaps had something to do with my childhood abuse/trauma.

Anyone dissociated in that sort of way?

 

[EmmaOwl]

@Allie D.

Ty.
No worries.
I regard you exclusively positively.:happy:
Peace.

Very kind of you!

I realized I've done something similar - minimized myself and laughed at the idea that I would have any knowledge on an offbeat topic. It offended the other person, and I did my best to salvage the situation and let him know that I was not laughing at him. I had forgotten till now. I think I was too self-deprecating; I was laughing at myself, and not at all looking down on him.

Is staring into a wall for an extended period of time while being somehow 'unable' to make myself do anyth...

Isch - I'm nowhere near a medical professional but for a casual answer I would say - are you aware of time passing or not? Do you feel like you're staring at a wall for 5 minutes, and then you "come to" and it's an hour later? "Missing time" is generally how I refer to that type of dissociation.

If I am feeling stuck but also aware of time passing, then it can mean one of several things - I'm depressed or anxious, or even emotionally tired. Stimulation of any sort - noise or visual, sometimes physical or emotional feelings can overwhelm me - and I find myself looking at the wall, but I'm aware of time passing.

When I find myself aware but still unable to do anything, it's almost always extreme depression or anxiety - I worry that it is laziness, but it is not. It is looking for comfort and safety and in the back of my mind I don't want to encounter anything that might upset me. The blank wall can seem like a "safe place" in my mind, when I'm overwhelmed. I'll delay the most simple human functions - but I still don't understand why it is so extremely difficult for me to do anything at all. But again, that's different from dissociating - because, in that state, I am aware of all the things that I ought to be doing instead of sitting there.

So yeah, for me, those two things are different, and a sense of time passing is generally the deciding factor in terms of dissociation-or-not.

But I think everyone experiences these things differently. It's a good question!

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

Or is it just 'zoning out?'

'Zoning out' is dissociation.

We all do it to some degree. Also, dissociation is not always associated with a trauma history.

 

[EmmaOwl]

@BuckarooBanzai
Thank you for being concise, when I clearly have trouble :)

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

@Allie D.

:)