Lack of connection to self: 5 signs to be aware of

From not feeling any emotion to having memory gaps, here are a few signs of dissociation that we should know about.

Published on: Apr 17, 2024 6:00 AM IST

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Dissociation or disconnection from self is a mental disorder where a person may experience symptoms of false identity and disconnection from thought and emotions. This often happens due to prolonged exposure to trauma and stress. "Dissociation as an adult can often be a subtle and elusive experience, making it challenging to recognise. Here’s why it’s important to understand and identify signs of dissociation," wrote Therapist Linda Meredith. Here are the signs of dissociation that we should know about. (Unsplash)

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Trauma can often show up in the body as physical symptoms. "Trauma isn't only a person's emotional and psychological reaction to an intense or overwhelming event; it can be felt physically too. Your survival response is a complex reaction that involves several brain regions and chemicals. It's triggered by any situation that threatens your safety or well-being, whether it's an intense emotional experience or a stressful event," wrote Therapist Anna Papaioannou. Here are a few ways by which trauma may show up in the body. (Unsplash)

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Dissociative episodes may show up as forgetting experiences and having memory gaps as well. We may start to forget conversations or the experiences of how we arrived at a destination.  (Shutterstock)

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We may have a sense of feeling unreal – we may feel that we are watching ourselves by dissociating from our bodies.  (Unsplash)

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We may start to feel dissociated from ourselves. Our thoughts and emotions may not feel intense. This is a classic sign of not connecting with ourselves.  (Unsplash)

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While disconnecting from ourselves is a sign of dissociation, feeling a lot of emotions and feeling overwhelmed all at once is also a way of lack f connection with ourselves.  (Unsplash)