Grounding Techniques for Dissociation

Dissociation Disorder

Dissociation Common Symptoms

• It feels like you are in a dreamlike state but fully awake.
• It feels like your emotions have become disconnected.
• It feels like you’ve had an “out-of-body” encounter.
• It feels like you’ve encountered something “dreamlike.”
• It feels like you’ve become disconnected from others and the physical environment.
• You feel strange, weird, or that something is off.
• You feel numb and euphoric but don’t know why.
• You suddenly feel confused and as if you can’t think clearly.
• You feel like things are unreal but can’t define exactly why.
• It can also feel like your memory has been impaired or your recollection of events is missing.
• It feels like your thinking is muted, muddled, or mixed up.
• You suddenly feel “brain dead” – where your logical mind has switched off.
• You feel like you are numb to the traumatic situation or events.
• You can also have auditory, visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, somatic, or verbal hallucinations.

Dissociation Test

Welcome to the Dissociation Test: "Am I Dissociating Quiz." This brief assessment is designed to help you gain insight into your experiences and determine if you might be experiencing dissociative symptoms. Dissociation is a phenomenon where individuals feel disconnected from their thoughts, emotions, memories, or even their own sense of identity. By taking this quiz, you can evaluate your symptoms and better understand whether dissociation might be a factor in your life. Please remember that this quiz is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. Let's begin by exploring your experiences and see if you identify with any dissociative symptoms.

*By taking this free quiz, you may obtain your results online and in your email box. You'll have the opportunity to opt-in to learn more about your symptoms, talk to a mental health consultant and join our newsletter. Rest assured your information is private and confidential. Results, consultations and assessment are provided without any cost to you and without any obligation. If you do not wish to provide your contact information, you may omit it during your quiz. Thank you for opting in and participating. To you best of health.

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3. Some people have the experience of driving or riding in a car or bus or subway and suddenly realizing that they don’t remember what has happened during all or part of the trip.

Always

Sometimes

Never

4. Some people find that sometimes they are listening to someone talk and they suddenly realize that they did not hear part or all of what was said.

Always

Sometimes

Never

5. Some people have the experience of finding themselves in a place and have no idea how they got there.

Always

Sometimes

Never

6. Some people have the experience of finding themselves dressed in clothes that they don’t remember putting on.

Always

Sometimes

Never

7. Some people sometimes find that they are approached by people that they do not know, who call them by another name or insist that they have met them before.

Always

Sometimes

Never

8. Some people have the experience of being accused of lying when they do not think that they have lied.

Always

Sometimes

Never

9. Some people have the experience of feeling that other people, objects, and the world around them are not real.

Always

Sometimes

Never

10. Some people find that when they are watching television or a movie they become so absorbed in the story that they are unaware of other events happening around them.

Always

Sometimes

Never

11. Some people sometimes feel as if they are looking at the world through a fog, so that people and objects appear far away or unclear.

Always

Sometimes

Never

12. Some people sometimes find that they hear voices inside their heads that tell them to do things or comment on things that they are doing.

Always

Sometimes

Never

13. Some people sometimes find writings, drawings, or notes among their belongings that they must have done but cannot remember doing.

Always

Sometimes

Never

14. Some people find evidence that they have done things that they do not remember doing.

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Never

15. Some people sometimes find that they cannot remember whether they have done something or have just thought about doing that thing (for example, not knowing whether they have just mailed a letter or have just thought about mailing it).

Always

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Never

16. Some people sometimes find that in certain situations they are ableto do things with amazing ease and spontaneity that would usually be difficult for them (for example, sports, work, social situations, etc.).

Always

Sometimes

Never

17. Some people find that in one situation they may act so differently compared with another situation that they feel almost as if they were two different people.

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Never

18. Some people sometimes find that when they are alone they talk out loud to themselves.

Always

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Never

19. Some people find that they sometimes sit staring off into space, thinking of nothing, and are not aware of the passage of time.

Always

Sometimes

Never

20. Some people find that they sometimes are able to ignore pain.

Always

Sometimes

Never

21. Some people have the experience of finding new things among their belongings that they do not remember buying.

Always

Sometimes

Never

22. Some people find that they become so involved in a fantasy or daydream that it feels as though it were really happening to them.

Always

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Never

23. Some people have the experience of being in a familiar place but finding it strange and unfamiliar.

Always

Sometimes

Never

24. Some people have the experience of not being sure whether things that they remember happening really did happen or whether they just dreamed them.

Always

Sometimes

Never

25. Some people have the experience of sometimes remembering a past event so vividly that they feel as if they were reliving that event.

Always

Sometimes

Never

26. Some people have the experience of feeling that their body does not seem to belong to them.

Always

Sometimes

Never

27. Some people have the experience of looking in a mirror and not recognizing themselves.

Always

Sometimes

Never

28. Some people sometimes have the experience of feeling as though they are standing next to themselves or watching themselves do something and they actually see themselves as if they were looking at another person.

Always

Sometimes

Never

29. Some people are told that they sometimes do not recognize friends or family members.

Always

Sometimes

Never

30. Some people find that they have no memory for some important events in their lives (for example, a wedding or graduation).

Always

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Never

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Dissociation PTSD

The WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Survey findings that dissociation is associated with elevated PTSD symptoms, high role impairment, and suicidality are consistent with clinical evidence that dissociation is related to the severity of PTSD. [2]

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with significant functional impairment in important areas, including interpersonal relationships and occupational or educational roles. Preliminary evidence suggests that the dissociative subtype of PTSD (PTSD+DS), characterized by marked symptoms of depersonalization and derealization, is associated with increased functional impairment and disease severity, including among military members and veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Similarly, first responders (e.g. police, fire, and paramedics) have also been found to experience dissociative symptoms. 

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How to Stop Dissociating?

Patients diagnosed with dissociation disorder tend to possess extreme sensitivity to interpersonal trust and rejection issues, making brief treatment in a managed care setting difficult. Furthermore, Most dissociation disorder patients seek treatment because of affective, psychotic-like, or somatic symptoms. However, in an emergency with a new patient who does not know his or her name, it is important to consider that the patient may have a true psychosis because most “Jane and John Does” who present in psychiatric emergency settings have turned out to be psychotic, rather than in a dissociated state or to have an associated functional or organic psychosis.

A cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach is often recommended that incorporates communicating effectively with the alters and helping the patient find more adaptive coping strategies than “switching” when distressed. This can be enhanced by teaching relaxation exercises, suggesting breaks from the setting for a few minutes, and helping the patient gain control over cognitive distortions of the self and world. The therapist tries to model an appropriate relationship and model appropriate, calm, and considered reactions to crises.

Best Grounding Techniques for Dissociation

The essential tactic is the use of an “anchoring phrase.” Prepare a sentence you can say (out loud or internally) that will bring you back to the present. Include your name, age, and the address where you reside. Specifics like where you are, what you’re doing, what time it is, and so forth can be added as they apply. Here are some additional pointers to assist you in getting back to the present.

Mental Work

• Give yourself relatively mundane tasks to accomplish. For example:
• Perform some basic math
• Create mental lists in broad categories like birds or sports teams, or colors
• Look at something in your line of sight before looking away and challenging yourself to recall what you just saw
• Recite song lyrics or movie lines, or a poem

Keeping a journal can help you understand and remember different parts of your experience. It could:

• Include writing and the artwork you do at other times and, if you have a dissociation disorder, in different identity states
• Help improve the connections and awareness between different parts of your identity by reading entries from them
• Help you remember more about what happened in the gaps in your memory

Engage Your Senses

Focus on the sensations you are feeling right now. You might find it helpful to keep a box of things with different textures and smells (for example, perfume, a blanket, and some smooth stones) ready when you need them.

• Eat something spicy or sour
• Eat or drink anything but take your time to experience its taste deeply
• Put your hands in cold water or touch something very cold
• Close your eyes and focus on all the scents, smells, and aromas you notice
• Specifically, savor a scent you enjoy (cologne, perfume, food, etc.)
• Listen to music, sing along, play air guitar, and try to hear something you never noticed before
• Touch your bare feet onto the ground
• Touch something that comforts you (perhaps it’s a pet!)
• Create and carry around a sensory kit that contains items you can feel, touch, smell, etc.

Involve Your Body

Look after yourself.

• Move your body
• Take a walk
• Exercise, dance, stretch, etc.
• Practice deep breathing
• Seek out a hug (even if it’s from your pet!)

Soothe Yourself

• Create a list of calming affirmations you can say to yourself, e.g. “you’re doing your best”
• Visualize a place that makes you feel safe and grounded
• Think of someone you love, imagine their smile, hear their voice
• Create a plan in your head to spend quality time with the person you’re thinking about
• Whenever possible, find a safe space where you can ride out the dissociation as calmly as possible

Treat the Underlying Causes

Dissociation can be a hard challenge, even with grounding measures. You must address the underlying issue even when you’ve mastered self-soothing techniques. Typically, a trained trauma therapy specialist will provide supervision for this attempt. Finding a dissociative identity disorder specialist or a mental health professional with extensive training in addressing dissociation is crucial. The majority of therapists lack that.

One of the most effective ways to comprehend what is occurring is to speak with a skilled trauma therapist. From there, strategies and answers may be discovered.

How Long Does Dissociation Last?

Dissociation is a way the mind copes with too much stress. Periods of dissociation can last relatively short (hours or days) or much longer (weeks or months). It can sometimes last for years, but usually, if a person has other dissociative disorders.

Signs and symptoms depend on the type of dissociative disorders you have but may include:

• Memory loss (amnesia) of certain periods, events, people, and personal information
• A sense of being detached from yourself and your emotions
• A perception of the people and things around you as distorted and unreal
• A blurred sense of identity
• Significant stress or problems in your relationships, work, or other important areas of your life
• Inability to cope well with emotional or professional stress
• Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors

There are three major dissociative disorders defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association:

• Dissociative Amnesia. The main symptom is memory loss, that’s more severe than normal forgetfulness. You can’t recall information about yourself, events, or people in your life, especially from a traumatic time.
• Dissociative Identity Disorder. Formerly known as multiple personality disorder, this disorder is characterized by “switching” to alternate identities. You may feel the presence of two or more people talking or living inside your head, and you may feel as though other identities possess you. Each identity may have a unique name, personal history, and characteristics, including obvious differences in voice, gender, mannerisms, and even such physical qualities as the need for eyeglasses.
• Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder. This involves an ongoing or episodic sense of detachment or being outside yourself — observing your actions, feelings, thoughts, and self from a distance as though watching a movie (depersonalization). Other people and things around you may feel detached and foggy or dreamlike, time may be slowed down or sped up, and the world may seem unreal (derealization). You may experience depersonalization, derealization, or both. Symptoms, which can be profoundly distressing, may last only a few moments or come and go over many years.

How Can I Help Myself?

Dissociate definition is “to disconnect or to separate.” Many people may experience dissociation (dissociate) during their life. If you dissociate, you may feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you.  Some individuals trigger dissociation during sex, and some encounter dissociation while driving. Dissociation can cause great anxiety, so driving is unsafe when diagnosed with the illness. Some people with dissociative disorders present in a crisis with traumatic flashbacks that are overwhelming or associated with unsafe behavior. People with these symptoms should be seen in an emergency room. Call your doctor if you have less urgent signs indicating dissociative disorder.

If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately, go to an emergency room, or confide in a trusted relative or friend.

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Treatment Dissociative Identity Disorder

The primary treatment for dissociative disorders is psychotherapy. Also known as talk therapy or psychosocial therapy, psychotherapy is focused on talking with a mental health professional about your mental health. Psychotherapy aims to learn how to cope with your disorder and understand its cause.

Psychotherapy can be an alternative to medication or can be used with other treatment options, such as medications. Choosing the right treatment plan should be based on a person’s needs and medical situation and under a mental health professional’s care. [5]

Even when medications relieve symptoms, psychotherapy and other interventions can help a person address specific issues. These might include self-defeating thinking, fears, problems interacting with others, or dealing with situations at home, school, or work.

Some also consider hypnosis to be a useful tool for dissociative disorders treatment.

Medication is sometimes used in the treatment of dissociative disorders, as well. Although no medications are specifically recommended for treating dissociative disorders, your doctor might use them for associated mental health symptoms.

Some commonly used medications are:

• Anti-anxiety medications
• Antipsychotic drugs
• Antidepressants

The We Level Up FL primary mental health center stands ready to help. We Level Up FL can inspire a support system through our mental health treatments to make you feel valuable. You can trust the treatment backed by leading recovery specialists practicing evidence-based therapy. We Level Up FL Treatment Center offers therapy under one roof. Get comprehensive therapy for mind, body & spirit.

Call us now for a free mental health assessment! In addition, for the substance abuse or dual diagnosis approach, our inpatient treatment, inpatient medical detox, and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at our affiliated facility. For more treatment resources and grounding techniques for dissociation, call us about your symptoms, and we can help you determine the cause and develop a treatment plan.