Get to Know Your Dissociation: Understanding, Managing, and Moving Forward

Dissociation can feel like slipping away from yourself, a numbing or zoning out that sometimes happens before you even realize it. For many, it’s frustrating, disorienting, and even frightening. But dissociation isn’t just a malfunction of the mind—it’s a function of it. Your brain developed this ability as a way to protect you, and while it might not serve you as well as it once did, understanding it is the first step toward changing your relationship with it.

What Is Dissociation?

Dissociation exists on a spectrum. It can feel like:

• Spacing out or losing time

• Feeling like you’re watching yourself from the outside

• Being disconnected from your emotions or body

• Suddenly realizing you don’t remember what just happened

• A sensation of the world around you feeling unreal
  

This is your brain’s way of managing overwhelm—when something feels too big, too painful, or too much, dissociation acts as a buffer, creating distance between you and the experience.

Left-Brain and Right-Brain Dissociation

Dissociation isn’t just one thing. Understanding the way it plays out in your brain can help you get a clearer picture of what’s happening.

• Left-brain dissociation happens when logical, analytical thinking takes over while emotions are suppressed. You might find yourself hyper-focused, intellectualizing your feelings, or struggling to connect with emotions even when you know you should feel something.

• Right-brain dissociation is when emotions flood in but feel too overwhelming to process, so you detach from logic, time, and groundedness. This can feel like floating, disorientation, or a sense of not being real.
  

Understanding which type happens to you more often can give you clues on how to re-engage when you start to dissociate.

Signs Dissociation Might Be About to Happen

Dissociation is sneaky—it can set in before you even recognize it. But if you pay attention to the patterns, you might notice:

• Your vision blurs or gets tunnel-like

• Your thoughts feel foggy or distant

• Your body starts to feel numb or disconnected

• You feel like you’re “shrinking” inside yourself

• Time suddenly feels strange—either too slow or too fast

• A familiar event or trigger starts unfolding
  

These are your signals that it’s time to intervene before you fully check out.

What To Do When You Feel Yourself Dissociating

You don’t have to sit back and let dissociation take over. Here are some practical, nonjudgmental strategies that might help:

• Use your senses. Dissociation thrives in detachment. Fight back by engaging your senses:

  • Hold something textured or rough in your hands

  • Take a sip of something with a strong taste (mint, citrus, spicy tea)

  • Smell something grounding like coffee, essential oils, or even a familiar scent from home

  • Listen to music that has distinct beats, lyrics, or unexpected changes
    

• Ground through movement.

  • Press your feet into the floor and notice the pressure

  • Clap your hands or tap your fingers on a hard surface

  • Do a full-body stretch, roll your shoulders, or shake out your limbs

  • Walk around and name five objects you see
    

• Engage in small, simple actions.

  • Splash cold water on your face

  • Hold ice cubes in your hand

  • Chew gum or suck on a strong mint

  • Repeat your name and where you are out loud
    

• Use words to anchor yourself.

  • Say, “I am safe. This is my brain trying to help me. I am in control.”

  • Describe your surroundings in detail to yourself

  • Call a friend and talk about anything unrelated to what you’re experiencing
    

Get to Know Your Dissociation: Understanding, Managing, and Moving Forward

Dissociation can be additionally scary when you’re in situations that require focus, such as driving. If you frequently dissociate while driving:

• Keep a fidget tool nearby to keep part of your brain engaged

• Listen to engaging audiobooks, podcasts, or upbeat music

• Keep a strong-scented essential oil or mint handy to “snap” yourself back

• Plan regular stops to check in with yourself if taking long trips

• If you find you’re losing time while driving, consider alternative transportation for high-stress times
  

Processing Questions: Understanding Your Dissociation

Instead of fighting dissociation with frustration, get curious about it. When you notice it happening, ask yourself:

• What was happening right before I dissociated?

• What am I feeling emotionally right now?

• What might my brain be trying to protect me from?

• How would I like to respond instead of dissociating?
  

Why Dissociation Feels Uncomfortable

Even though dissociation is a protective mechanism, it can feel unsettling because:

• It interrupts your ability to fully engage with life

• It can make you feel powerless or out of control

• It disconnects you from your relationships and the people who care about you

• It can make memory and decision-making harder
  

Why Dissociation Has a Functional Purpose

Your brain isn’t your enemy—it’s trying to help. Dissociation:

• Can be a survival strategy if you’ve been through overwhelming or traumatic experiences

• Helps protect you from intense emotional pain

• Allows you to get through moments that might otherwise feel unbearable
  

The goal isn’t to punish yourself for dissociating—it’s to recognize when it’s happening and explore other ways to feel safe.

How to Replace Dissociation

If dissociation isn’t serving you anymore, there are ways to find something else to take its place:

• Titration: Instead of avoiding overwhelming emotions entirely, try dipping in and out of them in small, manageable doses.

• Containment: If a situation feels too big, visualize placing it in a mental container to open later, when you’re ready.

• Co-regulation: Connect with safe people who help you stay grounded. Even a short text exchange or voice note can be helpful.

• Structured distractions: Instead of “zoning out,” try engaging in something immersive, like a puzzle, a crafting project, or a guided activity.
  

Dissociation is not a failure or weakness. It’s an old coping strategy that your brain used to protect you. But if it’s getting in the way of the life you want, there are ways to change your relationship with it. Start with small, gentle shifts—notice the patterns, intervene early, and experiment with new ways to stay connected to yourself. You are not broken, and you do not have to navigate this alone.

If this topic resonates with you or you'd like support processing your experiences, I'm here to help. Whether it's this topic or something else on your mind, feel free to reach out. Sometimes talking things through with a professional can help bring clarity and healing. 

Sarahbeth Spasojevich, LPC, MEd, MA, MBA, NCC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Connected Resilience, LLC

For scheduling: (804) 220-0388 (text/phone) 

sarahbeth@connectedresilience.us 

www.connectedresilience.us