Understanding Trauma and Disassociation
Trauma doesn't just change how we think; it completely alters how we inhabit our bodies. The term disassociation isn’t as commonly used like anxiety and depression, but it is a struggle people with trauma face. It’s extremely unsettling feeling that causes distress. Disassociation is misunderstood and doesn’t get the attention it deserves; Here is some information on different ways this can show up.
First of all what is disassociation? Here’s an example of it: Imagine driving down a highway and suddenly realizing you don’t remember the last five miles. Your hands were on the wheel, your eyes were on the road, but your mind was somewhere else entirely.
For most people, this is a minor, everyday glimpse into dissociation. But for survivors of severe or chronic trauma, dissociation isn't just a momentary lapse in attention—it is a profound, involuntary mental escape route.
During a dissociative state, the prefrontal cortex (the logic center) dials down, and the hippocampus struggles to properly log chronological memories. This is why trauma survivors often remember events in fragmented shards, or experience complete memory blanks surrounding their trauma.
It also important to note the stages of this. Everyone can experience this but there comes a point where it becomes an issue.
We can slip into our worlds in a daydream and zone out, but when this goes deep it can become a disturbing. When it gets like this, people will experiences what is called depersonalization and derealization. Depersonalization is when a person feels detached from their self, like they’re a robot and watching their own life. Derealization is when the world doesn’t feel real, like you’re in a movie. These are very scary feelings for those who suffer from it. It’s so misunderstood to the point that therapists don’t even understand it (leading people to feel like they’re “crazy.”) This is the level that people with PTSD, C-PTSD are at which can interfere with daily life. This needs more understanding.
At the most complex end of the spectrum, severe and chronic childhood trauma (usually occurring before the age of 9, when a unified sense of identity is still integrating) can cause the personality to structurally fragment.
Compartmentalization: The brain creates distinct, separate mental systems to hold different aspects of memory, emotion, and identity.
Identity Alteration: A person experiences distinct internal parts or identities (alters) that control behavior at different times, often accompanied by severe, recurrent amnesia. This is the hallmark of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD). Some might know this as “split or multiple personality” that is portrayed in the media. Again, it’s an area of mental health that is widely not understood.
Because dissociation is an involuntary defense mechanism, healing is not about "fighting" the numbness. Instead, recovery involves teaching your nervous system that the danger is over and that it is safe to return to the present moment.
Dissociation at any level is not a sign of weakness or a broken mind—it is proof that your brain did exactly what it needed to do to help you survive. With time, patience, and the right tools, you can gently step back into your body and reclaim the present.
Trauma-informed care helps us to better understand this. It provides insight and a healing toolbox to learn more about how the brain responds to highly and prolonged traumatic events. Trauma is complex and everyone responds to it in a different way. Continuing to learn and listen to those who go through this can provide more support for those who navigate this in their lives.
