How is it even possible? (to go on living, working, talking to people, while disassociating).

[Lis2075]

Hi guys ! I've never dissociated for more than a hour. When I dissociate, I really am not in my mind nor in the world and just can't understand properly anything that is happening around, therefore I can't do anything that requires to use my mind. It's a very stressful and out of the time experience. It's like I'm receiving the words in a conversation but can't process them in my mind, so I act like a robot, mechanically, trying to seem just normal - it doesn't work cuz I give empty gazes and smile and talk inappropriately, either too slow or too fast. Words don't mean a thing at that moment, so I really am curious about how you manage to keep on living, go to work, talk to people, when dissociating ? I just can't seem to understand how it is even possible, and I really know it would be absolutely impossible for me. If you asked me to work while I'm dissociating, I couldn't even understand what you're talking about when saying "work" but I'm not in my life anymore, I have no idea of studies or goals or anything. Are some dissociation experiences "light" enough to let you in control of your mind ? Thanks :) (btw, excuse my english, I'm from France)

 

[Friday]

Are some dissociation experiences "light" enough to let you in control of your mind ?

Yes.

Disassociation is very much a spectrum. Everyone does it to some degree or another (while driving a familiar road is a common example <why am I driving to school? I'm meant to be driving to work!>, or changing diapers <did I just change this?> another version would be anything considered meditative like knitting or fishing, while daydreaming is yet another very normal version of disassociation).

Individuals tend to have their own personal spectrum. At the lighter end they can still function, at the other end? Shrug. Depends how deep they go. Some people never reach not being able to function, they just feel like they're in a dream, or robotic, or very surreal. Others start out not being able to function, but over time learn how to, or learn how to with certain kinds of disassociation but not others. Others learn how to feel disassociation coming on & block it/ground out enough that even if they're disassociating a bit, it's not as much as it would have been, so they can still function as they need.

It's all very individual & fluid.

 

[Justmehere]

I will sometime have similar issues with processing auditory input when dissociated. Before I was able to gain better control of the dissociation, I actually learned to use a lot of techniqu s people who are deaf use to navigate work, school, and life. I had a therapist write a note to explain I had a disability that meant I wouldn't understand bevels langue at times, and I needed communication in a written format. It kinda of worked for the few months I needed that until I was able to get much better at grounding out of that kind of dissociation.

Learning and becoming an expert at grounding techniques is probably going to be your best long term solution - as well as trigger mangment planning. Hopefully over time, the dissociation will not only be easier to manage but will lessen with intensity too.

Your English is great by the way.