Some people find it difficult to respond appropriately to highly emotional thoughts, feelings, or situations. The symptoms of certain mental health disorders, including dissociative identity disorder (DID), may cause people to experience dissociative events when they feel overwhelmed by positive or negative emotions. According to Cureus, “There are several conditions found to be associated with [DID], including depression, self-harm, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder, borderline personality disorder or anxiety, and conversion or somatoform disorder.” Understanding dissociation and how it affects mental health reduces the risk of relapse. Pathways Recovery Center educates clients and their families about the realities of treating substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring dissociative symptoms or conditions, including DID.
What Is Dissociative Identity Disorder?
According to the previously mentioned article in Cureus, “Dissociative identity disorder (DID), or dissociative personality disorder, is the presence of at least two varied personalities in one person.” Psychiatrists are divided on the exact cause and nature of DID. However, most people with DID experience extreme and repeated dissociative events.
The side effects of DID vary significantly from person to person, influenced by underlying trauma and life stressors. People with DID experience many distressing symptoms, including:
- Dissociative events involving blackouts, time loss, or amnesia
- Feeling as if the world or aspects of everyday life are unreal
- A sense of being disconnected from oneself
- Extreme mood swings and changes in temperament
Often the symptoms are triggered or worsened by stressful events or moments of high emotion. According to the journal Psychiatry, some prominent researchers “characterized DID as a disorder of extreme stress, possibly a form of complex PTSD, due to prolonged, repeated trauma.” The symptoms of DID can manifest at any time for individuals diagnosed with the disorder. However, the most common triggers include severe emotional or physical trauma, such as child abuse and physical or sexual assault.
Why Do I Disconnect? Understanding Dissociation
Dissociation often feels like disconnecting from the present moment. Diagnosing DID is challenging because it is incredibly rare and shares some symptoms with other disorders. According to Dissociative Identity Disorder by Paroma Mitra and Ankit Jain, “[P]atients with DID often present with symptoms of dissociation and amnesia, which are also seen in patients with borderline personality disorder.”
Multiple mental health disorders feature dissociation as a possible symptom, including:
- PTSD
- Acute stress disorder
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder (BD)
Individuals in recovery may dissociate for different reasons. However, in many cases feeling emotionally overwhelmed and not having the tools to cope cause people to dissociate from the moment. Dissociation is a protective mechanism meant used by the brain to reduce the adverse effects of physical or emotional distress. People in recovery can learn to manage their condition and reduce instances of dissociation.
Heightened Emotions and Understanding Dissociation
Dissociation generally happens when people with a low-stress threshold or history of trauma experience heightened emotions. Fear, excitement, and even extreme pleasure can cause people to feel emotionally overwhelmed to the point where they shut down and enter a dissociative state. However, in most instances, dissociation is a protective measure caused by negative emotions or the anticipation of negative emotions.
Dissociative events can affect memory, self-perception, and a person’s sense of identity. According to the journal Emotion, “Dissociative experiences range from common experiences of highway hypnosis (e.g., not aware of time passage on a long trip) or absorption (e.g., watching a movie or looking at a beautiful sunset) to more pathological states.” In addition, “severe stress is also associated with transient dissociation (e.g., looking as if through a fog, altered time perception, feeling “spaced out,” etc.) even in nonpathological populations.”
When to Get Help
Not everyone who experiences dissociative events requires mental health treatment. Everyday life is full of tiny moments of dissociation, including daydreaming. However, clinical dissociative disorders disrupt people’s lives and cause severe distress. Dissociation identity disorder, PTSD, and other conditions often require long-term treatment.
People concerned about dissociative events should speak with their doctor or care team. Early intervention reduces the risk of developing additional disorders. Programs at Pathways Recovery Center provide structure and a safe space where clients can learn to control their emotional and behavioral responses to stressors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dissociation
How can I tell the difference between normal dissociation and something that needs treatment?
Normal dissociation includes brief moments like daydreaming, losing track of time while driving, or getting absorbed in a movie. Clinical dissociation becomes a concern when it:
- Happens frequently and unpredictably
- Interferes with daily responsibilities or relationships
- Causes significant distress or confusion
- Involves memory gaps you can’t explain
- Makes you feel unsafe or out of control
- Occurs alongside other mental health symptoms
Can dissociation happen during addiction recovery, and is it dangerous?
Yes, dissociation can occur during recovery, especially when processing trauma or facing emotional triggers. While not immediately dangerous, it can increase relapse risk if left unaddressed. At Pathways Recovery Center, we help clients recognize dissociative episodes and develop healthy coping strategies to maintain sobriety.
What does a dissociative episode actually feel like?
People describe dissociative episodes differently, but common experiences include:
- Feeling like you’re watching yourself from outside your body
- Everything around you seeming unreal or dreamlike
- Feeling disconnected from your emotions or thoughts
- Time seeming to slow down, speed up, or become unclear
- Feeling like you’re in a fog or behind glass
- Not recognizing familiar places or people temporarily
How long do dissociative episodes typically last?
Episodes can range from minutes to hours, and in severe cases involving DID, much longer. The duration often depends on the trigger, your stress level, and whether you have coping tools to help ground yourself. Learning grounding techniques can help shorten episodes.
Is DID the same as having multiple personalities like in movies?
Media portrayals of DID are often exaggerated or inaccurate. Real DID involves distinct identity states that may have different memories, behaviors, or ways of relating to the world, but it’s usually more subtle than dramatic personality switches shown in films. Each person’s experience with DID is unique.
Can children experience dissociation?
Yes, children can dissociate, often as a response to trauma, abuse, or overwhelming stress. Since children’s brains are still developing, they may be more prone to dissociative responses. Early intervention is crucial for children showing signs of dissociative symptoms.
What should I do if someone I know is having a dissociative episode?
- Stay calm and speak in a gentle, reassuring voice
- Help them focus on the present moment through grounding techniques
- Ask simple questions like “Can you tell me your name?” or “What day is it?”
- Encourage them to describe what they can see, hear, or feel around them
- Don’t shake them or try to “snap them out of it”
- Seek professional help if episodes are frequent or severe
Are there specific grounding techniques that work best for dissociation?
Effective grounding techniques include:
- 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste
- Cold water on your hands or face
- Strong smells like peppermint or coffee
- Physical movement like stretching or walking
- Deep breathing exercises
- Holding ice cubes or a textured object
Can medication help with dissociative symptoms?
While there’s no specific medication for dissociation itself, medications may help treat underlying conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD that contribute to dissociative episodes. Any medication decisions should be made with a qualified healthcare provider who understands your complete mental health picture.
How does trauma therapy differ when dissociation is involved?
Trauma therapy with dissociative symptoms requires specialized approaches that:
- Focus on stabilization before processing traumatic memories
- Use techniques to help you stay grounded during sessions
- Work at a pace that doesn’t overwhelm your system
- May involve longer treatment timelines
- Often integrate body-based therapies alongside traditional talk therapy
Is it possible to recover from dissociative disorders while also treating addiction?
Absolutely. Many people successfully recover from both addiction and dissociative disorders through integrated treatment approaches. At Pathways Recovery Center, we understand that these conditions often reinforce each other, so treating them together typically leads to better outcomes than addressing them separately.
Will I always have dissociative symptoms, or can they go away completely?
Recovery experiences vary widely. Many people learn to manage their symptoms so effectively that dissociation no longer interferes with their daily life. While some may always have a tendency toward dissociation during high stress, developing strong coping skills and addressing underlying trauma can dramatically reduce both frequency and intensity of episodes.
How can family members support someone with dissociative symptoms?
Family support is crucial and includes:
- Learning about dissociation to better understand the experience
- Creating a calm, predictable home environment
- Avoiding judgment or minimizing their experiences
- Supporting their treatment and therapy attendance
- Learning to recognize triggers and early warning signs
- Practicing patience during the recovery process
- Taking care of your own mental health needs
How Pathways Recovery Helps With Understanding Dissociation
Dissociation affects everyone differently and often decreases a person’s ability to function. The care team tailors treatment services to the needs of each client. Dissociation can also severely impact personal relationships and affect the quality of life for individuals in recovery.
According to the previously mentioned publication by Paroma Mitra and Ankit Jain, “Some treatment approaches for dissociative identity disorder include basic structures from work with personality disorders in a three-pronged approach:
- Establishing safety, stabilization, and symptom reduction;
- Confronting, working through, and integrating traumatic memories
- Identity integration and rehabilitation.”
Pathways Recovery Center uses integrative and personalized care to help clients reintegrate their identity while recovering from SUD and other co-occurring conditions. Understanding dissociation allows clients to heal more quickly. The care team guides clients through learning to identify, analyze, and process emotions to make them manageable and reduce stressors. People in recovery heal more effectively when they understand how their thoughts and beliefs impact their behaviors. Knowing the cause and effect of trauma responses also helps individuals with DID feel more confident in managing their condition during recovery.
Some people lack the skills to cope with certain emotional situations. Feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts, beliefs, or situations may cause people with a history of trauma to experience dissociative events. In rare cases, dissociative identity disorder may develop. DID is characterized by the emergence of two or more distinct personalities triggered by stress or other factors. Available treatments for SUD and co-occurring DID include psychotherapy and integrative care. Pathways Recovery Center understands how disorienting it can be to experience frequent dissociative events. The care team collaborates with clients and their families to create a personalized care plan. To learn more about our programs and how we can help, call our office today at (888) 771-0966.
