Dissociation: why it happens and what we can do about it

If you’re reading this right now, chances are life hasn’t been fair at all to you. You’ve faced a lot of trauma and disappointment, but you’ve also overcome so much. Keep taking it one day at a time, just breathe and know it will get better ❤️

I asked my therapist to randomly say pineapple during session (both when he's talking and when I'm talking/thinking), and then I have to repeat it straight away to show that I'm present. If my response is delayed (or not at all), then I spaced out. It's worked well so far 🍍

Derealization makes me have a panic attack and vice versa. It feels like you're in the matrix and you can't get out

I feel like I'm in a simulation, even while watching this

You’ll never understand it unless it’s happened to you, weirdest feeling ever. Literally like the matrix

"half of all adults have had at least one episode of DPDR" me, who dissociates several times a day: 😳

When my head goes no-no my brain goes bye-bye and my world goes wut-wut.

I've found that arguments, raised voices, bright lights, stress, and sleep deprivation trigger my dp/dr

What helped me to cope with derealization is to look at it like your brain putting a comfy blanket over it to protect itself from extra stimuli ❤️

so glad you brought up maladaptive daydreaming...most people don’t acknowledge it or know of its existence

Dissociation has been a part of my life much longer than I had thought. First time I really noticed it was in 6th grade while reading a paragraph about Aztec. While I read out loud I was lost in my mind going over the abuse I had experienced. Next thing I knew the teacher thanked me for reading. My heart was racing while thinking I had just shared to the entire class about my abuse. I looked around and no one seemed concerned or was even looking at me. How did I read out loud an entire paragraph while being completely consumed in my head about the abuse?

I depersonalize a lot. I feel like a stranger in my own body, like im just kind of watching?

The real pain begins, when DPDR becomes chronic. At that point grounding doesn't really do much.

When you feel like that all the time and after few years you are not sure if that's you or this is how everyone perceives reality

I've lived most of my life in a dissociated state due to trauma.

Dissociation allowed me to survive my childhood during a time when tough love and “suck it up” was standard approach to mental health issues. Getting good at masking, especially masking the dissociation long enough to extract myself and hide. At 63 years old I’m finally unpacking this with a professional that gets it, but I know I will never be able to enjoy social situations as 60 years of ingrained behavior has become automatic to the point that any deviation is extremely overwhelming.

Fun fact: This video is helpful

I was just diagnosed with complex PTSD about a year ago. I dissociate all the time, I'm not sure I've been fully present in years. It sucks but I'm glad I'm finally on a path to getting the treatment I need

I’ve been in a dpdr episode all day everyday for nearly 3 weeks. When it happened I consciously felt the transition between my normal self to this intoxicated feeling, I was at home just eating some food at the time, it was so frightening, one minute I was there and the next I was so disconnected from everything, my emotions, my surroundings, I felt like I couldn’t control my actions or my speech, there was even a physical feeling in my head when it happened. Even after 3 weeks of knowing I’m absolutely fine I still can’t help thinking I’m going insane. I’m just so thankful for content creators and communities here, it makes feel grounded, I don’t know where I would be without the use of the internet.

this happened to me last year. In 2021 I didn’t feel like myself it felt like nothing was alive and I was just floating in the world. Everyday i tried trying to do the things I love and remembered who I was eventually it payed off one day I woke up feeling like myself. If youre reading this you will be okay you are powerful and I know you can beat this terrible disease