Does anyone on here Dissociate ?.

OP

Original post

by Anonymous

Do you Dissociate , that you know of ?. I guess it must be very hard for the person going through it to actually know. I am just trying to pin down how exactly to tell because I think someone I know does.

I know it is caused by servere trauma, abuse etc in a persons life, and I dont think that many actually know when they are are disocciating, and I would'nt until I have a read a bit about it.

Reply 2

Yes, during stressful events. Not fully, but always aware it's happening as things don't feel real or I feel like I'm not really in my body.

Reply 3

OP

Original post

by Anonymous

Yes, during stressful events. Not fully, but always aware it's happening as things don't feel real or I feel like I'm not really in my body.

Hi. And are you male or female may I ask ?. Do you act differently , and how could someone else be able to know that you are dissociating , what signs ?.

Reply 4

20

Original post

by Anonymous

Yes, during stressful events. Not fully, but always aware it's happening as things don't feel real or I feel like I'm not really in my body.

I dissociate when tired/stressed/triggered, or during certain points of the year where my body goes through the motions of previous episodes of perceived threat/trauma. Like the Anon quoted above, for me it manifests as either myself not being real or the world around me not being real, or having out-of-body experiences.

To answer the OP's questions to the Anon post I've quoted: I'm female and in my mid-thirties. I'm not sure when I started dissociating tbh, it's been happening the last 15 years at least, but could be longer (I've been hearing voices that other people can't hear, since I was 5!). Family and friends notice the following when I'm dissociating:

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glazed-over eyes/general facial expression. I appear quite dazed

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My facial muscles may not move at all (I have a very expressive face and smile a lot usually)

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Stumbling over words when speaking/not able to correct spellings in text messages

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I walk slower

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I chew very loudly (says my mum. I don't believe this tbh, but she insists it's a sign of me becoming unwell/dissociating)

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I become frightened/startled more easily

Reply 5

20

Oh the other thing that happens when I dissociate is that I do/say things that I don't remember afterwards. Like one time I was telling my friend about a restaurant in Central London that I wanted to take him to - but he said we'd already been. I had no memory of it, but he could tell me exactly where it was, what it looked like on the inside, and what he ate :s-smilie:

Reply 6

OP

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Oh the other thing that happens when I dissociate is that I do/say things that I don't remember afterwards. Like one time I was telling my friend about a restaurant in Central London that I wanted to take him to - but he said we'd already been. I had no memory of it, but he could tell me exactly where it was, what it looked like on the inside, and what he ate :s-smilie:

I am OP

Thanks for your honest and full reply. Yes I will have to be careful because I dont find it easy to determine when they are dissociating versus "messing around jokingly".

Reply 7

20

Original post

by Anonymous

I am OP
Thanks for your honest and full reply. Yes I will have to be careful because I dont find it easy to determine when they are dissociating versus "messing around jokingly".

No problem at all, happy to help. It can be hard to tell sometimes what's really going on. May I ask what makes you think this person may be dissociating at times? And have you tried talking to them about whatever you've noticed? :smile:

Reply 8

Original post

by Anonymous

Hi. And are you male or female may I ask ?. Do you act differently , and how could someone else be able to know that you are dissociating , what signs ?.

I'm female. I have never told anyone I dissociate so I don't know if others can tell. I feel quite zoned out and take longer to reply so I suspect that's noticeable to others.

Reply 9

OP

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

No problem at all, happy to help. It can be hard to tell sometimes what's really going on. May I ask what makes you think this person may be dissociating at times? And have you tried talking to them about whatever you've noticed? :smile:

They just seem very vague and "not there" ,and very quiet. I will try talking.

Reply 10

OP

Original post

by Anonymous

I'm female. I have never told anyone I dissociate so I don't know if others can tell. I feel quite zoned out and take longer to reply so I suspect that's noticeable to others.

Thanks for the reply. It often ,I believe, is to do with a Trauma from past, such as sexual assault, severe accidents etc.

Reply 11

Original post

by Anonymous

Thanks for the reply. It often ,I believe, is to do with a Trauma from past, such as sexual assault, severe accidents etc.

The first time I remember it happening was in during stressful social situation (I have social anxiety and suspected autism). When I was older, I was in a sexually abusive relationship and it would happen then too.

Reply 12

20

Original post

by Anonymous

The first time I remember it happening was in during stressful social situation (I have social anxiety and suspected autism). When I was older, I was in a sexually abusive relationship and it would happen then too.

Really sorry to hear of what you've been through with that relationship :hugs:

Reply 13

OP

Original post

by Anonymous

The first time I remember it happening was in during stressful social situation (I have social anxiety and suspected autism). When I was older, I was in a sexually abusive relationship and it would happen then too.

Sorry to hear that. That may be a type of panic attack perhaps. My be worth seeking out a therapist/hypnotherapy. Some posted on here "Hypnotherapy Directory" on Google. Anyway I hope you get better as things go on. As for Autism, Elon Musk (one of richest people) is also autistic spectrum.

Reply 14

Original post

by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Really sorry to hear of what you've been through with that relationship :hugs:

Thanks, TLG :hugs:

Original post

by Anonymous

Sorry to hear that. That may be a type of panic attack perhaps. My be worth seeking out a therapist/hypnotherapy. Some posted on here "Hypnotherapy Directory" on Google. Anyway I hope you get better as things go on. As for Autism, Elon Musk (one of richest people) is also autistic spectrum.

Thank you. No, I'm pretty sure it's dissociation - I feel like I'm not really in my body when it happens and there is no panic, just nothingness. I don't really think I need therapy, tbh - the relationship was a long time ago, and I've reflected and learnt from it. I'm not too bothered about having autism/autistic traits - it's just who I am 🙂

Reply 15

OP

Original post

by Anonymous

Thanks, TLG :hugs:

Thank you. No, I'm pretty sure it's dissociation - I feel like I'm not really in my body when it happens and there is no panic, just nothingness. I don't really think I need therapy, tbh - the relationship was a long time ago, and I've reflected and learnt from it. I'm not too bothered about having autism/autistic traits - it's just who I am 🙂

Ah thats good that you have learnt from it and I wish you well.

Reply 16