Understanding Trauma and Dissociation
When people think about trauma, they often picture dramatic moments of danger or heartbreak. But trauma is a shape-shifter—it can look like a car accident, childhood neglect, or even ongoing emotional invalidation. One thing trauma often brings along for the ride? Dissociation, a clever but confusing coping mechanism that can leave you feeling disconnected from your body, mind, or even reality itself.
In this post, we’ll explore how trauma impacts the brain, what dissociation is, how to recognize it, and ways to support yourself or a loved one through it.
What Actually “Counts” as Trauma?
At its core, trauma is the emotional and physical response to an event—or series of events—that overwhelms your capacity to cope. Trauma is highly individual: what feels manageable to one person might be profoundly destabilizing to another.
Trauma generally falls into a few categories:
Acute Trauma: This stems from a single, distressing event, like a car accident, natural disaster, or assault.
Chronic Trauma: Long-term exposure to harmful experiences, such as childhood neglect, domestic abuse, or systemic racism, falls under this category.
Complex Trauma: This occurs when someone experiences multiple traumas over time, often in relational or caregiving contexts, such as growing up in an abusive household.
How Trauma Affects the Brain
Trauma isn’t just “in your head” in the metaphorical sense—it’s in your head, literally. The brain responds to trauma by shifting into survival mode, activating areas like the amygdala (the brain’s fear center) and suppressing areas like the prefrontal cortex (responsible for rational thinking).
This wiring helps you survive in the moment, but over time, it can lead to persistent hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, and intrusive memories. The brain gets stuck in a loop of reacting as if the threat is still present—even when it’s long gone.
Dissociation: Trauma’s Clever Escape Hatch
When the brain encounters something too overwhelming to process, it often hits the “eject” button, and that’s where dissociation comes in. Dissociation is a survival mechanism designed to protect you by creating distance between you and the distress.
Dissociation exists on a spectrum, from mild zoning out to more intense experiences. Here’s how it might show up:
Daydreaming or “Spacing Out”: Losing track of time or feeling like you’re “somewhere else” mentally.
Depersonalization: Feeling detached from your body, like you’re watching yourself from outside.
Derealization: Feeling like the world around you is unreal or dreamlike.
Amnesia or Memory Gaps: Forgetting parts of your day or details of traumatic experiences.
Supporting Yourself When You’re Dissociating
Dissociation can feel scary, but there are ways to bring yourself back to the present moment:
Move Your Body: Physical activity like stretching, walking, or even shaking your hands can help “wake up” your nervous system and re-anchor you in your body.
Use Grounding Techniques: Try holding something cold (like an ice cube), noticing five things you can see, or planting your feet firmly on the ground and focusing on how they feel.
Practice Breathing Exercises: Deep, intentional breathing can help calm your nervous system and bring you back into your body.
Remind Yourself You’re Safe: If possible, say it out loud: “I am safe right now. I am not in danger.” This helps rewire your brain’s response to the perceived threat.
How to Support a Loved One Experiencing Dissociation
Watching someone you care about dissociate can be unsettling, especially if you’re not sure what to do. Here’s how to offer support:
Stay Calm and Patient: Dissociation isn’t something your loved one can control, and pressuring them to “snap out of it” will likely make it worse.
Use Gentle Grounding: Encourage them to notice their surroundings or engage their senses by touching something soft or naming colors in the room.
Avoid Overwhelming Questions: Stick to simple, reassuring statements like, “I’m here for you” or “You’re safe with me.”
Respect Their Process: Everyone experiences dissociation differently, so let them guide you on what helps.
How Trauma Therapy Can Help
Dissociation and trauma can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Trauma therapy can help you heal by addressing both the emotional and physical impacts of your experiences.
Therapies that focus on the mind-body connection are particularly effective for trauma recovery:
Brainspotting: This technique helps access and process trauma stored in the deeper parts of the brain by using your gaze to focus on emotional triggers.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): EMDR helps desensitize and reprocess traumatic memories so they lose their emotional intensity.
Somatic Therapy: By focusing on physical sensations and movements, somatic therapy helps release trauma that’s stored in the body.
Takeaways
Trauma and dissociation don’t have to control your life. With the right tools and support, it’s possible to heal, reconnect with yourself, and find a sense of safety and peace.
If you’re in Oregon or Washington and looking for a therapist who specializes in trauma recovery, I’d love to help. Whether you’re ready for traditional therapy or are curious about therapy intensives for faster progress, schedule a consultation today. Healing isn’t always easy, but it’s absolutely worth it—and you don’t have to do it alone.
Looking to connect with a therapist who specializes in trauma therapy, specifically mind-body techniques to help you do more than just talk about your trauma but actually recover from it?
Take your first step towards feeling present and connected in your life.
(Oregon & Washington residents only)
About the author
Amanda Buduris is a licensed psychologist providing virtual Brainspotting sessions in Oregon and Washington. In-person services are available for therapy intensives only. She is trained in multiple modalities of trauma-focused healing to best support clients who are looking to feel better faster.
