What Is Dissociation?

[DeadMann]

I have read some posts about this but I don't get it. The terms used are unfamiliar to me and confusing. What is it? Are there symptoms? How would you know if you had to deal with it. I have felt that I was outside of human experience for a very long time - dead as it were. Or just waiting around until it finally ends and I don't have to live any more. Lots of isolation and avoidance. Is this what you are talking about? Is there any fix and if so do I really want it fixed or is it something that is protecting me? Psychobabble and jargon are hard for me to wrap my brain around, so sorry if this is basic and has been discussed and I just did not understand it.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Everyone dissociates on one level or another. The most common example is zoning out while driving in a car. At the other end of the spectrum is dissociative identity disorder where the personality splits into different identities. It's the stuff in between that I'm not as clear about! I experience dissociation when in a flashback, and have had a few episodes of derealization. I'm sure someone else can explain more.

 

[DeadMann]

So there's another term added to the first one that I do not understand.

Dissociation is when you space out? What are you not associating with when this happens?

Then you mention derealization. I have never heard this term but again it sounds as if you stop dealing with reality.

I hope someone can clarify this so it makes some sense.

 

[Glaucus]

Dissociation is the worst bit. It happens when you are being forced by unfortunate circumstances to act out of your character. You simply become another person and it feels very strange (unreal). The solution is "avoidance" and change of circumstances (if possible). Avoidance is a "schizoid" diagnosis so the mental quacks will label you somehow, but you can, of course, avoid them as well. So the solution is to change your circumstances to find compatible people to hang out with.

And get back to your true personality. And stop trying to please people, especially the violent crazies that cause so much of the trouble.

 

[Glaucus]

PTSD is just symptoms. Anxiety can be diagnosed by Signs.

 

[Nadege]

I don't get it either. Being on autopilot when driving is distinctly different from acting out of character when forced to do so.

 

[JustBe]

OK, I'm going way out on a limb here because I'm new at this too, but When I think of Dissociation I think of when I am triggered and begin feeling fuzzy and far away...but maybe that's derealization?...Anthony! Help!

 

[Springer80]

Hi, I have a full document on this from The Clinic for Dissociative Studies London. I don't think I can post it here so perhaps check their website. I have a depersonalization disorder. As I understand it, dissociation is the term which covers a neuro-biological response to extreme stress. It has a range or spectrum of severity depending on the intensity/length of the stress scenario/s.

Depersonalization/Derealisation are perception based conditions which arise from the above over time. One is inverted one is extroverted Depersonalization is 'this can't be happening TO ME'...Derealisation is this can't be happening, ITS not real (the place/object).

To be honest...I ignore them. The only reason I got an official diagnosis from a specialist was to stop ill qualified meddling psychiatrists from trying to give me drugs. The point is it's a spectrum and everyone is on it, ptsd or not.


SUMMARY OF ABSTRACT

- Neglect of attachment needs may leave a person with fewer receptors for endogenous opiods (natural morphine) because these receptors are formed during good attachment experiences
- Chronic childhood trauma and abuse induces repeated flooding of the system with endogenous opiods, one of the consequences of which may be dissociative phenomena (which can pass largely unnoticed in a secretive, isolated, highly adapted childhood where attachment figures have a vested interest in keeping it so)
- The dissociative phenomena are much less functional and understandable in adulthood, especially away from the context they formed in, particularly where denial is the norm (societal also)
- A survivor's capacity for pleasure and well-being may be reduced by their paucity of opioid receptors, making any emotion at all feel overwhelming and out of control
- With consciousness and day to day life preoccupied with PTSD triggers, flashbacks, sleep disturbance, anxiety and depression, somatic consequences etc etc etc a survivor's rare or only experiences of something approaching well-being may be when flooded with endogenous opioids during dissociative experiences, or other opioid-inducing behaviours such as self-harm, addictive behaviours, eating disorders, OCD and so on, and therefore 'habit-forming'
- Therapy sessions may precipitate flooding with endogenous opioids and consequent dissociative phenomena, hence by blocking the opioid receptors with Naltrexone the survivor may be assisted in amending behaviours that have become unhelpful, and would otherwise be extraordinarily difficult to change due to their addictive nature


More information

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation: Frequently Asked Questions on Dissociation:
The Touch

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation: Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults:
The Touch

MIND: Understanding Dissociative Disorders:
[DLMURL]http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/dissociative_disorders[/DLMURL]

 

[Cerulean Synapse]

Everyone dissociates, whether you are driving in a car, the dissociation happens when you lose yourself in a period of time, or you are not yourself. Or you end up in some place from where you started and you have no idea how you got there. The extreme forms of dissociation, are when you have different identities or as it sounds to me like you are almost alienating yourself as though you were outside of yourself and watching it as a third person. I believe it sounds like depersonalization to me, at least the out of human experience part does. What do I know though.

But everyone who is within the normal limits loses time from themselves, or forgets and that would be dissociation. When a person does this with trauma they like to dissociate from the trauma. I know when I am triggered by something, one of my headmates, or identities will take control, and I guess that would be where I dissociate.

 

[InHell11]

I would describe it as when I get to overwhelmed with anxiety or bad memories and feel numb and detached from myself. Its kind of like being on drugs but without the drugs honestly, that is how noticeable and intense it can be. Or there are times I just feel detached from everything else like its all just getting further away and soon I wont even know what reality is though at times I question whether or not I've already reached that point.

But basically I understand it as feelings of detachment and emotional numbness when you should feel emotions. When I went through the main traumatic event that caused my PTSD I disassociated emotionally during it and felt almost too calm.

 

[Cerulean Synapse]

Yeah I agree with InHell11, it's like being on drugs, stoned and like time has stopped, and with s me at least I am not aware of my surroundings. 1 hour seems like 2 minutes or 2 seconds depending how bad I am dissociating. And when I come out of it, I am foggy, or my pain comes back, something to tell me I am back in the present. I am still trying to figure out what the hell triggers me to dissociate.

I definitely know pain makes me dissociate big time. And that's not good.