By Eshana Saha
Published Dec 02, 2024

Hindustan Times
Lifestyle

Pinterest

Debunking Myths: The Truth About Dissociation Unveiled

Dissociation refers to a mental health condition where a person experiences detachment from their surroundings, feelings, thoughts and emotions.

Often dissociation is a symptom of substance abuse, trauma or other mental health conditions. However, dissociation is often misunderstood by others. 

Daydreaming or lack of attention: Dissociation is often misunderstood as a person’s lack of attention. However, it is more complicated than that. In dissociation, a person is not able to come back to his/her surroundings and feels out of control.

Its rare or abnormal: When we have dissociation, we may feel ashamed or confused about it. However, it is the mind’s way of keeping ourselves safe from trauma.

People can just snap out of it: Dissociation is more than just a state of mind. In dissociation, a person is not just able to snap out of it when they feel like.

Indicates psychotic disorder: Often dissociation is confused with psychosis. However, dissociation refers to the inability to be present with one’s feelings, thoughts and emotions, while psychosis involves delusions and hallucinations.

Dissociation is disruptive: This is untrue that dissociation is always disruptive in nature. Often dissociation is adaptive in order to manage stress and anxiety.