Dissociation and Dissociative Disorders

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What is dissociation? 

Many people may experience dissociation (dissociate) during their life. 

If you dissociate, you may feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you. For example, you may feel detached from your body or feel as though the world around you is unreal. Remember, everyone’s experience of dissociation is different

Dissociation is one way the mind copes with too much stress, such as during a traumatic event. 

Experiences of dissociation can last for a relatively short time (hours or days) or for much longer (weeks or months). 

If you dissociate for a long time, especially when you are young, you may develop a dissociative disorder. Instead of dissociation being something you experience for a short time it becomes a far more common experience, and is often the main way you deal with stressful experiences. 

“I felt like my body didn’t belong to me, it was like I was an outsider watching my own story unfold.” 

When might I dissociate? 

  • For many people, dissociation is a natural response to trauma that they can’t control. It could be a response to a one-off traumatic event or ongoing trauma and abuse. You can read more on our page about the causes of dissociative disorders
  • Some people choose to dissociate as a way of calming down or focusing on a task, or as part of a religious or cultural ritual. 
  • You might experience dissociation as a symptom of a mental health problem, for example post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder
  • Or you may experience dissociation as a side effect of alcohol or some medication, or when coming off some medication

How might I experience dissociation? 

Dissociation can be experienced in lots of different ways. 

Psychiatrists have tried to group these experiences and give them names. This can help doctors make a diagnosis of a specific dissociative disorder. But you can have any of these dissociative experiences even if you don’t have a diagnosed dissociative disorder. 

Some dissociative experiences include: A doctor or psychiatrist might call these experiences: 
  • having gaps in your life where you can’t remember anything that happened 
  • not being able to remember information about yourself or about things that happened in your life 
dissociative amnesia 
  • travelling to a different location and taking on a new identity for a short time (without remembering your identity) 
dissociative fugue 
  • feeling as though the world around you is unreal 
  • seeing objects changing in shape, size or colour 
  • seeing the world as ‘lifeless’ or ‘foggy’ 
  • feeling as if other people are robots (even though you know they are not) 
derealisation
  • feeling as though you are watching yourself in a film or looking at yourself from the outside 
  • feeling as if you are just observing your emotions 
  • feeling disconnected from parts of your body or your emotions 
  • feeling as if you are floating away
  • feeling unsure of the boundaries between yourself and other people 
depersonalisation 
  • feeling your identity shift and change 
  • speaking in a different voice or voices 
  • using a different name or names 
  • switching between different parts of your personality 
  • feel as if you are losing control to ‘someone else’ 
  • experiencing different parts of your identity at different times 
  • acting like different people, including children 
identity alteration 
  • finding it very difficult to define what kind of person you are 
  • feeling as though there are different people inside you 
identify confusion 

What are triggers and flashbacks? 

A trigger is a reminder of something traumatic from the past, which can cause you to experience dissociation or other reactions. It could be a sight, sound, taste, smell or touch. It could be a situation or way of moving your body. Many different things can be or become triggers. 

In a flashback, you may suddenly experience traumatic sensations or feelings from the past. This might be prompted by encountering a trigger. You may experience the flashback as reliving a traumatic event in the present. A flashback may cause you to switch to another part of your identity. 

If you have dissociated memories (because of amnesia or because you experience different identity states with different memories) then you may find that these resurface during flashbacks. 

“A flashback is a sudden, involuntary re-experiencing of a past traumatic event as if it is happening in the present.” 

What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What is dissociation?

What is dissociation? 

Many people may experience dissociation (dissociate) during their life. 

If you dissociate, you may feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you. For example, you may feel detached from your body or feel as though the world around you is unreal. Remember, everyone’s experience of dissociation is different

Dissociation is one way the mind copes with too much stress, such as during a traumatic event. 

Experiences of dissociation can last for a relatively short time (hours or days) or for much longer (weeks or months). 

If you dissociate for a long time, especially when you are young, you may develop a dissociative disorder. Instead of dissociation being something you experience for a short time it becomes a far more common experience, and is often the main way you deal with stressful experiences. 

“I felt like my body didn't belong to me, it was like I was an outsider watching my own story unfold.” 

When might I dissociate? 

  • For many people, dissociation is a natural response to trauma that they can't control. It could be a response to a one-off traumatic event or ongoing trauma and abuse. You can read more on our page about the causes of dissociative disorders
  • Some people choose to dissociate as a way of calming down or focusing on a task, or as part of a religious or cultural ritual. 
  • You might experience dissociation as a symptom of a mental health problem, for example post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder
  • Or you may experience dissociation as a side effect of alcohol or some medication, or when coming off some medication

How might I experience dissociation? 

Dissociation can be experienced in lots of different ways. 

Psychiatrists have tried to group these experiences and give them names. This can help doctors make a diagnosis of a specific dissociative disorder. But you can have any of these dissociative experiences even if you don't have a diagnosed dissociative disorder. 

Some dissociative experiences include: A doctor or psychiatrist might call these experiences: 
  • having gaps in your life where you can't remember anything that happened 
  • not being able to remember information about yourself or about things that happened in your life 
dissociative amnesia 
  • travelling to a different location and taking on a new identity for a short time (without remembering your identity) 
dissociative fugue 
  • feeling as though the world around you is unreal 
  • seeing objects changing in shape, size or colour 
  • seeing the world as 'lifeless' or 'foggy' 
  • feeling as if other people are robots (even though you know they are not) 
derealisation
  • feeling as though you are watching yourself in a film or looking at yourself from the outside 
  • feeling as if you are just observing your emotions 
  • feeling disconnected from parts of your body or your emotions 
  • feeling as if you are floating away
  • feeling unsure of the boundaries between yourself and other people 
depersonalisation 
  • feeling your identity shift and change 
  • speaking in a different voice or voices 
  • using a different name or names 
  • switching between different parts of your personality 
  • feel as if you are losing control to 'someone else' 
  • experiencing different parts of your identity at different times 
  • acting like different people, including children 
identity alteration 
  • finding it very difficult to define what kind of person you are 
  • feeling as though there are different people inside you 
identify confusion 

What are triggers and flashbacks? 

A trigger is a reminder of something traumatic from the past, which can cause you to experience dissociation or other reactions. It could be a sight, sound, taste, smell or touch. It could be a situation or way of moving your body. Many different things can be or become triggers. 

In a flashback, you may suddenly experience traumatic sensations or feelings from the past. This might be prompted by encountering a trigger. You may experience the flashback as reliving a traumatic event in the present. A flashback may cause you to switch to another part of your identity. 

If you have dissociated memories (because of amnesia or because you experience different identity states with different memories) then you may find that these resurface during flashbacks. 

“A flashback is a sudden, involuntary re-experiencing of a past traumatic event as if it is happening in the present.”