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It’s common to feel unconnected to your body, mind, emotions, or even physical sensations while dissociating.ĭissociating isn’t inherently dangerous, but it can be uncomfortable. For some, it’s like your body is on autopilot and you’re going through the day without any control over what you say, do, or feel.
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You may feel like you’re watching yourself in a movie or floating above your physical body. Some people say it’s like there’s a glass wall in between them and other people others describe it as feeling like other people are robots, even though you know they aren’t.ĭepersonalization refers to when you feel detached from yourself. The world might actually look distorted to you – it can appear foggy, two-dimensional, cartoon-like, or colors may seem muted. Feeling detached from your surroundings (your environment, people and objects around you, etc.) is called derealization. It’s normal to question if this is real life today’s reality does seem pretty unreal at times. Because COVID-19 has turned our worlds upside-down, dissociation may set in easier than usual. What does dissociation feel like during COVID-19?ĭissociation feels different for different people – it may be scary if everything suddenly seems unfamiliar, or it may feel like a welcome relief from the scariness of the real world. The loneliness and isolation that many people are feeling could be a contributor as well – feeling trapped is a common trigger, and even if you haven’t noticed before, interacting with other people on a regular basis plays a big role in keeping us connected to reality. High stress and anxiety are known to trigger dissociation in some people. In 2020, Mental Health America’s Online Screening Program saw a massive increase in people taking anxiety and depression screens, and the number of people screening with moderate to severe symptoms is higher than rates prior to COVID-19.
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There isn’t data yet on how the pandemic may be impacting rates or experiences of dissociation, but it’s likely that there is some connection. But sometimes this system disconnects us to a greater degree than is helpful and makes it more difficult to get through the day. This is built into human functioning our brains intentionally go into defense mode to protect us from situations that may otherwise be too overwhelming. Often, it is a subconscious way of coping by avoiding unpleasant and negative thoughts and feelings – disconnecting from the world around you can alleviate the fear and anxiety you’re experiencing. Many different things can cause you to dissociate, like overwhelming stress, a traumatic event, or living with a mental health condition. If you’re experiencing this detachment for the first time or more often than usual, it may be because of the increased stress of living in today’s world. Many people – up to 74 percent – will experience dissociation at some point in their life. Some people have a dissociative disorder as their primary diagnosis, but dissociation is also associated with many other mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder. More intense dissociation may feel like you are observing yourself from outside of your body (depersonalization) or that the world is unreal (derealization). Mild dissociation often looks like daydreaming or zoning out – like when you’re scrolling through social media and suddenly notice 4 hours have passed. Dissociating is a natural response to high stress situations (especially trauma) and exists on a spectrum.
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The circumstances that we’re in may trigger dissociation, a feeling like you are disconnected or detached from yourself and/or your surroundings. You may be more hopeful now that vaccines are being approved, but if you still feel like the future doesn’t quite exist, you aren’t alone. We’ve spent months stuck in the present moment and unable to plan for the future because there is no way to predict what each day would bring.
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Many people say the duration of the pandemic has felt like a time warp – days are blending together, and some months seem to fly by, while others feel never-ending. Routines and patterns are how we keep track of information and time, so being thrown into a situation that you’ve never been in before can be disorienting, especially for those with mental health conditions who feel anchored by structure. Many people have faced challenges that would have been unimaginable to them just one year ago and daily life looks nothing like it used to due to COVID-19 restrictions.