How do people cope

@elbutterfly1981

i dont have any coping stratergies thats why it comees back i either deal with it or supress it

I know dissociation is hard to deal with. It makes everything so unreal, like you're not there in your body but watching some strange movie. Honestly, the state is terrifying when I think of how vulnerable I am. I understand your desire to stop.

Someone can expereince dissociation for a

few reasons, but you're dissociation seem to be like mine, triggered by a stressor. Disociation can occur because we are under stress we can't control. Our mind decides the stress is too much to handle, so it protects itself the only way it knows how. It makes everything disappear.

When I begin to disociate I feel everything around me becoming more distant and my mind becoming lost. I cannot think, and yet when this happen it occurs to me, "I am about to disociate". Sometimes when I am knee-deep in disociation I come back enough for it to occur to me that I am indeed disociating. Does this happen to you, too?

I have found when it occurs to me like I described above that doing grounding techniques can help scave it off. The only issue is, you might have to do this repeatedly. For instance, let's say I dissociate and I ground myself, but the stressor is still there. My mind is still in fight or flight, except fight or flight won't work. I start to disociate again only five minutes after I last grounded myself and I must ground myself again. This has literally happened recently.

Another word of caution is that grounding disociation feels less like fixing a problem and more like peeling the top layer of an onion. For me behind that disociation is an almost panicked state. This is not to say it is bad to stop disociation. Grounding disociation is one step closer to healing. It also places you into a state that, despite how it can feel hiding panic, is a less vulnerable state of mind.

@elbutterfly1981

Hello, coping with the challenges of medical examinations, especially when they trigger dissociation, can be incredibly tough. It sounds like you've been through a lot, and I'm here to listen and support you.

Taking steps to manage your anxiety before medical appointments is a valid strategy. It's important to prioritize your well-being and find ways to make these experiences more bearable. If you're open to it, you might consider discussing your concerns with your healthcare provider beforehand. They may be able to offer support or suggestions to help you feel more comfortable during the examination.

Remember, your feelings are valid, and you deserve to feel safe and respected during medical interactions. Please take care of yourself, and feel free to reach out whenever you need to talk.