For example, you might say this: “I am at the dinner table. My sister is here eating with me. We are eating cereal. The cereal tastes very sweet and smells fruity. I’m wearing pajamas that feel soft on my skin. My sister is talking to me. She’s asking me if I want something to drink. ”
How many red items do I see? How many round objects can I count? What kinds of patterns do I see? What can I smell? What do I hear? How are my senses engaged?
Rub a piece of ice on your skin, run cold water over your hands, or snap a rubber band on your wrist. [5] X Expert Source Noel Hunter, Psy. DClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020. Apply a drop of essential oil to your pulse points and sniff. Eat something and focus on the flavors. Listen to the sounds of your environment. Describe what you can see around you. Stand on one foot—trying to balance will force your body to reengage with yourself. [6] X Expert Source Noel Hunter, Psy. DClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.
Do just 1 thing at a time. When you eat, focus on the flavors of your food. Go on a nature walk and focus on what you hear, feel, taste, smell, and see. Focus on your breath. Meditate. You can try using a free meditation app, such as Insight Timer, Calm, or Headspace. Try yoga. Check out magazines like Mindful, Happinez, Breathe, and Flow. Read books like Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Feeling mentally detached, spaced out, or not present Absent-mindedness or mind-wandering Perceiving the world as being unreal (known as derealization) or your sense of self as distorted (known as depersonalization) Observing your body as an “outsider” Emotional numbness and being unable to express how you feel Excessive fatigue or sleepiness Experiencing delayed reactions to life events
How do I feel? For example, you might feel detached, foggy, or like you’re floating above the situation. What am I thinking? You might have trouble forming thoughts or find that your mind has gone blank. What’s happening right now? You might identify what’s stressing you out.
Write in your journal every day. Document your everyday life, your feelings about the past, and your dissociative experiences. When you do notice an episode, record what lead up to it and how you felt. In some cases, you might choose to bring your journal with you to your therapy sessions, if you go to therapy.
Depersonalization disorder occurs when you feel detached from your life or yourself. Dissociative amnesia occurs when you forget parts of your life, often to mask a trauma. Dissociative fugues occur when you forget who you are and also travel to a new, unfamiliar location. Dissociative identity disorder (DID) occurs when your mind splits into separate, individual personalities as a response to extreme trauma. Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS) is diagnosed when you experience symptoms of dissociation but don’t meet the requirements for diagnosis for any particular disorder.
You could say, “I know that I tend to dissociate when things get rough, but it’s hard for me to notice when I’m doing it. Can you tell me if I look spaced out?”
You can ask your doctor for a recommendation or find a therapist online. Since a safe environment is essential for your recovery, ask to visit the office ahead of time. You need to feel completely comfortable in order to work through the underlying trauma that triggered your use of dissociation as a coping skill.
They will likely help you work through the grounding process provided above. They’ll also help you talk through your trauma without dissociating.
Strategies like this require a lot of daily practice to be effective, so don’t worry if your progress seems to be slow at first. [19] X Expert Source Noel Hunter, Psy. DClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020. Find practices that help lower your overall stress and anxiety levels, like grounding exercises, breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation. [20] X Expert Source Noel Hunter, Psy. DClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 18 December 2020. You could create a self-care box to pull out in your time of need. You might include a comforting book, essential oils, a soft sweater or blanket, a CD with relaxing music, hard candies, or tools for a hobby. You can pull out your box to help you ground yourself and cope with what’s happening.
Antidepressants can cause side effects. Common side effects include dry mouth, nausea, blurred vision, constipation, increased appetite, weight gain, fatigue, dizziness, restlessness, agitation, insomnia, and sexual issues. [22] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Similarly, medications aren’t intended to fully solve your problems. Instead, they can help manage your symptoms while you work through them in therapy.
Ask your doctor about groups that meet in your area. You can also ask local treatment centers or look online.
You may also try Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to help you overcome past trauma and dissociation. This will help you overcome somatic symptoms that your issues may cause by helping you reconnect with physical sensations and your body. [25] X Research source Most people who have dissociative disorders won’t need physical therapy, but it’s a helpful resource for those who need it.
