Is What I'm Experiencing Dissociation?

[Tei-Saji]

Every day, I experience the world as it is. I can feel anything, I can touch anything, I can smell anything, and I can see anything. But there are times during the day when I re-experience events from events in my life. I experience them, and when I do, it just takes over my mind. I'm fully aware of what's going on around me, but sometimes it feels like I'm staring into space---into the realm of my memories. And when I'm in my memories, I have a tendency to talk to the people in those memories (others may construe this as a sort of psychosis?). I feel in my mind a need to come up with retorts to say to those people, who have long since graduated from school. Then I realize that they're just voices now. I argued a lot with teachers in high school, so I think I'm just trying to think of retorts for them so in order to please my ego. I've always hated losing arguments (still do) and so I would constantly, constantly come up with things to say to the voices.

What do you guys make of this?

 

[Go Hungry]

Yes, that is a form of dissociation. I tend to do it alot too.

 

[mamachick]

Are you in therapy? If you are, I think that it would be a good idea to discuss at length the symptoms that you experience. If you are not, I would seek a good trauma therapist to help you understand what you are experiencing and to cope with the symptoms in a way thats not feeding the ego and is dealing with this face on.

I have heard much confusion about exactly what flashbacks are on this forum and Anthony has explained that one very well, yet I still read posts of symptoms that might not be flashbacks. I think this forum is a wonderful asset to recovery and there is much information and support to be had, yet the best way to understand and diagnose is face to face. When any doubt, check it out.

 

[Deleted member 20280]

Yes this is one of the main forms of dissociation IMHO. I do it all the time, it's a form of psychological regression. When I do it I can literally smell the odours of the moment as well.

 

[mamachick]

Santa-when you experience the smells as well, are they the smells that actually exist, or smells that are from trauma that you experienced? Experiencing smells of trauma, (what was cooking, cologne of abuser, etc) can also be part of flashback.