Dissociation Anxiety: What Is It & How To Manage It

When a person goes through dissociation, they find themselves disconnected from their surroundings and even from themselves. Dissociation can itself be called as a symptom of the anxiety in which a person also feels like developing different identities.

This anxiety may occur during stressful events or after a prolonged instance of worry and might change the way a person thinks, acts and reacts. As dissociation anxiety may show long term negative effects, let’s dig in a little deep while finding coping mechanisms.

What Is Dissociation Anxiety?

Dissociation, as the name suggests, is a term used to deschttps://www.calmsage.com/overview-of-complex-ptsd-symptoms-causes-and-more/
ribe disconnection from the present moment. The person who is dealing with it tries to use different ways to cope with difficult situations like trauma or obsession of negative thoughts. Although many people face similar situations but less than 3% of people are actually diagnosed with dissociative disorder.

Dissociative disorder is also related to people dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD because of their stressful life events like military incidents, accidents or loss of loved ones.

When such disorder is connected to anxiety symptoms, it takes the form of dissociation anxiety. Some symptoms associated with it include:

• Amnesia which means losing memory of things happened to you in recent times
• Depersonalization which shows body disconnection
• Derealization that shows disconnection from the world around you
• Identity confusion or confused with your own or other’s identity
• Loss of feelings
• Finding difficulty in controlling your body movements

By looking at the above dissociation anxiety symptoms and understanding what does dissociation feel like, it is understood that the path has some difficulties ahead. However, Team Calm Sage will put in efforts to find how to help dissociation.

How To Cope With Dissociation Anxiety? Tips To Manage

1. Firstly, Reach Out A Therapist

The best treatment and way to cope with dissociation anxiety is to reach out to a therapist, especially if the symptoms are loud and intense. A therapist suggests psychotherapy related to anxiety and dissociative disorder which may include

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT is provided to an individual in order to identify and change disturbing negative thinking patterns. It also includes techniques like role playing, mental distractions, journaling and relaxation techniques.
• Dialectical behavioral therapy: This psychotherapy is based on the concept that everything has an opposite and the opposite of negative could be achieved through dialogue between opposing forces.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): It helps in relieving traumatic pain and triggers through the guided eye movement exercises.

With the above psychotherapies, Talk therapy also becomes a guiding light as well as an important way to deal with stress and anxiety.

2. Grounding Techniques

Even though therapists help you to deal with dissociation anxiety, it is also important to practice some grounding techniques at home. Grounding means to be in the present moment and recognize the surroundings. They are meant to bring awareness as well as relax yourself as and when the anxiety shows up.

Techniques you could use include:

• Take off your shoes and walk barefoot on the floor or grass.
• Take deep breaths! Inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 6 seconds and slowly exhale within 8 seconds while opening clenched fists.
• Splash cold water on your face and feel the droplets pacifying your thoughts
• Pick any element from the environment, for e.g. leaf, and experience its texture, smell and imagine it with different aspects around you.

3. Exercise Regularly

Believe it or not, exercise is a stress reliever for any mental disorder as well as keeping your physical health upright. Exercising doesn’t mean joining an expensive gym or going far to play a match but it could be done at home in fresh air. Perform yoga, Pilates, walk around the house or dance freely. Make sure that you leave everything aside and do exercise mindfully.

Additional Tips:

• Complete your sleep cycle every day. If you are not able to then try natural remedies for sleep or yoga poses that could be done a few hours prior bedtime.
• Don’t let the anxiety turn into overwhelming emotions, rather capture it with healthy methods.
• Be kind and compassionate towards yourself. Keep appreciating yourself and recognize that recovery takes time.

Conclusion

We believe that people suffering from dissociation disorder are very strong. However, the little support that they need must be provided and team Calm Sage stands shoulder to shoulder with them. Get up and ask for help by dropping us a message at info@calmsage.com today and take the first step towards recovery.