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If You’ve Experienced Trauma, It’s Normal to Have Dissociation

According to The Nebraska Department of Veteran’s Affairs, approximately 7.8 percent of Americans will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives. PTSD doesn’t affect everyone, but it does affect many people who have gone through or witnessed a traumatic event. For some, symptoms of PTSD emerge a few months or even years later – for others, symptoms appear immediately following the event. A variety of factors influence the severity of PTSD, including: if the incident occurred once or lasted over a period of time, how frequent the trauma occurred, what type of trauma it was, if the person was directly affected or was a witness to the event, the type of support received afterwards, and much more. If you experienced PTSD, know that you are not alone.

Common symptoms of PTSD include:

  • Flashbacks
  • Nightmares
  • Avoiding people, places, or things that remind the person of the trauma
  • Feeling emotionally “numb” and/or isolating oneself from others
  • Changes in sleeping and/or eating patterns
  • Anger, irritability, guilt, etc.
  • Dissociation

Dissociation is often defined as feeling “out of one’s body”. As emphasized by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, dissociation often occurs as the body’s direct defense mechanism against an overwhelming, traumatic experience. There is a dissociative sub-type for PTSD – in fact, a review published in the National Center for PTSD states that those with this particular type of PTSD have often experienced repeated traumatization, increased experience with psychiatric issues alongside PTSD such as with borderline personality disorder or avoidant personality disorder, increased difficulty in functioning, and increased suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts.

If you experience dissociation, you may recognize the following feelings:

  • Sense of being detached from yourself
  • Blurry sense of identity
  • Memory loss
  • Feeling as those your perception of others and surroundings are distorted
  • Inability to cope well with daily challenges
  • Other mental health problems, such as with depression, anxiety, stress, etc.

Treatment is available to help those with PTSD and dissociation. If you haven’t already, speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center to learn more about this and what type of program would work best for you. Recovery is possible.

Everyone has a story of trauma before they come treatment. Everyone leaves with a story of recovery when they leave treatment. The Guest House Ocala is a private treatment center specializing in the treatment of trauma, addictions, and related mental health issues. Your program of care is customized according to your specific experiences and needs. Our luxury amenities provide the highest level of quality care and comfort so you feel safe, supported, and serene. Call us today for information: 1-855-483-7800