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How to Recognize When You're Dissociating and What to Do About It

  • andersonabbiek
  • Mar 25
  • 2 min read
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Dissociation is a coping mechanism that can leave you feeling disconnected from your thoughts, emotions, body, or surroundings. While it can be a helpful response to overwhelming stress or trauma, dissociation can also become disruptive in daily life. Recognizing when you're dissociating is the first step toward managing it effectively. This blog post will help you identify signs of dissociation and provide strategies to ground yourself when it happens.


Signs You Might Be Dissociating

  1. Feeling Detached or Numb: You may feel emotionally numb, disconnected from your body, or like you're observing life from outside yourself.

  2. Gaps in Memory: Losing chunks of time, forgetting conversations, or not remembering how you got somewhere can indicate dissociation.

  3. Zoning Out or Spacing Out: Getting lost in thought to the point of not hearing someone talking to you or not realizing time has passed.

  4. Unreal or Dreamlike Feelings: The world around you might feel unreal, distant, or blurry, as if you're in a dream.

  5. Physical Disconnection: Feeling like your body is heavy, light, or unfamiliar, or experiencing a lack of sensation.

  6. Emotional Disconnection: Struggling to feel emotions or feeling indifferent about things that would usually affect you deeply.


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What to Do When You Notice You're Dissociating

  1. Ground Yourself in the Present:

    • 5-4-3-2-1 Technique: Identify 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste.

    • Hold a Cold Object: Grasping something cold, like an ice cube, can help bring you back to the present moment.

  2. Engage Your Senses:

    • Listen to loud, rhythmic music.

    • Touch different textures (e.g., a rough fabric or smooth stone).

    • Smell strong scents like peppermint or citrus.

  3. Move Your Body:

    • Stretch, jump, or do light exercises like marching in place.

    • Walk barefoot on different surfaces to feel the textures.

  4. Focus on Your Breath:

    • Practice deep, slow breathing to help anchor yourself.

    • Count your breaths or repeat a calming phrase with each exhale.

  5. Name What You’re Experiencing:

    • Saying to yourself, "I am dissociating right now," can create awareness and reduce fear.

    • Remind yourself, "I am safe. This feeling will pass."

  6. Connect with Someone:

    • Reach out to a trusted person to talk or text.

    • Describe your environment or how you're feeling to help ground yourself.


When to Seek Support

Woman in yellow sweater sits on a couch holding a pillow, conversing with another person. Bright room, calm mood. Glass of water nearby.

While occasional dissociation is common, frequent or severe dissociative episodes can indicate an underlying issue like trauma, anxiety, or a dissociative disorder. Therapy can help you understand and manage dissociation effectively. Approaches like EMDR, CPT, and IFS are especially helpful for trauma-related dissociation.


Final Thoughts

Recognizing dissociation and knowing how to respond can help you feel more in control. With practice, grounding techniques can reduce the intensity and frequency of dissociative episodes. If dissociation significantly impacts your life, reaching out for professional support can be an important step toward healing.

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