Dissociation

❇️ Did you know that Dissociation is a protective reaction and occurs on a spectrum?

👉 There are various areas to the dissociative spectrum between what is normal and what is quite extreme levels. Some people may mostly have one of these but some have a mixture of many depending on the severity of the event.

🧠 Our brain uses different levels of dissociation to protect us from feeling pain when feelings and sensations are too overwhelming that take all the resources of the person to cope.

🔹Experiencing dissociation is part of the parasympathetic nervous system 'freeze - collapse' response.

⚡The spectrum of Dissociation from Low to Extreme
- autopilot mode in routine tasks
- daydreaming
- zoning out
- PTSD- trauma
- amnesia & memory problems
- depersonalization & derealization
- identity alteration
- dissociative identity disorder (DID)

🛸Sometimes it is described as the experience of being a “passenger” in one’s body, rather than the driver.

🤔What to do if you experience dissociation?

🔹Keep a journal
Write down thoughts, emotions & situations that have triggered you during the day. Try a gratitude journal.

🔹Grounding
Use your 5 senses. Use movement & body posture to feel grounded. Use positive affirmations. Use imagery & visualization. Create a soothing box.

🔹Mindfulness
Focus on the present moment through breathwork. Pay attention to your surroundings. Use meditation & relaxation techniques.

🔹Sleep & diet & exercise
Have a routine. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time. Eat healthy foods, avoid caffeine & alcohol. Exercise regularly

❇️ exercises for dissociative symptoms ❇️

👉The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding technique

5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you.
4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. I recommend that one of the things you touch is yourself. Apply a bit of pressure if you can.
3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear.
2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell.
1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste.

👉Another helpful thing to do is to create a SOOTHING BOX with different materials and items that enhance your senses. You can put in the box different things such as scents, oils, fabrics, stress balls, nature items, objects with different textures, smooth stones, a blanket, etc. Focus on the sensations you are feeling when you interact with the elements in the box.

🤗Tell me in comments if these are useful
​
Check the graph here