Madeeha Syed

Unveil the link between trauma and disassociation. Meri Sehat provides insights into the psychological impact of trauma.

The Link Between Trauma And Disassociation

This article or video has been vetted and verified by Meri Sehat’s specialists. It contains citations and research from validated sources.

I’M Not Crazy: The Taboo Of Seeking Psychological Help

Overview

A growing population suffers from <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/Mental%20Health">severe mental health</a> <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/Mental%20Health">issues </a>that have lasting impact on their personal, social and occupational life. Anxiety and depression are now fairly common.&nbsp;

This has further worsened after the <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/covid-19">Covid-19 pandemic</a> due to which added economic pressures, social isolation and the general feelings of helplessness have driven many people into despair.&nbsp;

Yet, we have all heard the casual &ldquo;there is no such thing as depression&rdquo; or &ldquo;they are just doing that to get attention&rdquo; judgement thrown around.&nbsp;

In South Asian societies there is a widespread stigma attached even to conversations about mental health. If we can&rsquo;t even talk about it, then we can&rsquo;t expect people to consider it a serious or worthwhile issue, let alone something they need to seek professional help for.&nbsp; 
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professional psychological help

Take, for example, a person who fell off a bike and broke their leg. They are going to be in excruciating pain and will see a professional health expert who will fix their injury. But when this kind of trauma happens to our minds and we suffer from the debilitating impact of it, we rarely consult a professional mental health expert.&nbsp;

Most people don&rsquo;t take this aspect of their health seriously. We often find ourselves saying things like, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll get over it&rdquo; or &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not that serious&rdquo; and minimise these issues as extra hassles we don&rsquo;t have time for. When paralysed by an anxiety attack, we feel more comfortable with telling people we got the flu in order to avoid keeping our appointments or take leave from work.&nbsp;

Most of us would rather dissolve in a cauldron of fear, despair and self-hatred than reach out for the most basic and easy solution &mdash; a person trained specifically to deal with these issues. 
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Some of the most common reasons why people don&rsquo;t seek professional help are: 
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<h5>Social And Self-Stigmatisation</h5>

People often believe that it is an admission of weakness, failure or lack of resilience. This is one of the reasons why we see fewer men seeking professional mental health services due to the ideas surrounding masculinity itself.

Self-stigmatisation refers to the inherent shame we carry about our own suffering and inability to deal with life&rsquo;s blows. This further feeds into our refusal to seek help. People also commonly believe that they will bring shame upon their family or themselves, that they won&rsquo;t find good matches later on in life and will be labelled as pagal [crazy]. People expect to be discriminated against at work, by family and friends, and society at large for seeking mental help. 
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Many people fear opening up to a total stranger about their internal struggles. Reaching out to trusted counsellors and therapists is therefore important. They can help train your mind to take that leap of faith and finally receive treatment. 
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Many people are unaware of the exact features of mental illnesses. These will inadvertently end up in a psychiatry ward once the illness worsens to the point of leading to severe social and occupational impairment and in some cases even suicide. 
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A lot of people, especially from the lower socioeconomic classes, don&rsquo;t know where to go or are turned away from places due to their inability to cover the expense of seeking mental help. At times there is also a lack of resources on a governmental level to deal with a particular mental health issue which itself is a taboo. 
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When dealing with emergency situations such as road accidents, medical professionals are trained to ensure their own physical safety first before approaching the person or the scene where they are needed.&nbsp;

Almost all of them forget this very basic rule when it comes to their mental health and daily life.&nbsp;

Owing to the nature of the work where you are responsible for other people&rsquo;s lives, most doctors prioritise their duty over their personal life and health. Doctors are also programmed to expeditiously cope with stressful situations daily which leads to a much higher tolerance for distress. Acknowledging they have a problem will also open the floodgates where self-doubt and Imposter Syndrome gushes in at the first opportunity. There is also a fear of losing their license and many regulatory/licensing bodies robustly assess and judge a history of mental illness before allowing these individuals to practice their craft. This kind of severe assessment is common in many other high-responsibility professions such as the military. 
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Bottom Line

New policies with regards to mental health, de-stigmatisation and resource allocation, educational campaigns in person and on social media are all steps that can be taken by the government to make seeking professional help easier for people.&nbsp;

Availability of data in regional languages to make it accessible for people from all classes will also go a long way in bridging the gap. On an individual level, we can all ensure that we are receptive to people&rsquo;s complaints of distress and provide them a safe space to talk about them.&nbsp;

Even if it doesn&rsquo;t resolve the problem, it makes people feel like they aren&rsquo;t alone. Making the details and contact information of multiple mental healthcare professionals readily available also helps. In order to aid a growing population of doctors that are now suffering from burnout and other mental health issues, safe spaces, regular in-house counselling and a receptive environment will go a long way.&nbsp;

A great marker for us having overcome the stigma surrounding mental health and seeking professional help would be when we can candidly tell our employer about the reason behind missing that one very important meeting was an unscheduled panic attack.&nbsp;

Dr. Safia Mehmood

Trauma is a distressing event or experience that overwhelms an individual&#39;s ability to cope, leaving lasting emotional scars. For some trauma survivors, dissociation becomes a coping mechanism. Dissociation is a psychological defense mechanism that helps individuals disconnect from their thoughts, feelings and surroundings to escape overwhelming emotions. Let&rsquo;s explore the link between trauma and dissociation, examine the psychological effects of dissociation on trauma survivors and explore therapeutic approaches to support their healing process. 
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Understanding Trauma

Trauma can result from various experiences, such as abuse, accidents, natural disasters or witnessing violence. It often leaves survivors feeling intense fear, helplessness and distress. 
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Dissociation is a common response to trauma. It is a protective mechanism that allows the mind to detach from distressing experiences, creating a mental distance from the pain. 
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<ul>
	<li>Depersonalization &ndash; Depersonalization involves feeling detached from oneself, as if observing one&#39;s actions from a distance or having an altered sense of identity.</li>
	<li>Derealization &ndash; Derealization refers to feeling disconnected from the surrounding environment, as if it were unreal or dreamlike.</li>
	<li>Dissociative Amnesia &ndash; Dissociative <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/amnesia-17164">amnesia</a> involves memory loss related to traumatic events, as the mind blocks out distressing memories to protect the individual. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Psychological Effects

<ul>
	<li>Impaired Emotional Regulation &ndash; Dissociation can hinder the ability to regulate emotions, leading to emotional numbness or difficulty expressing feelings.</li>
	<li>Memory Gaps &ndash; Dissociation may cause memory gaps surrounding traumatic events, making it challenging for survivors to piece together their experiences.</li>
	<li>Detachment From Reality &ndash; Persistent dissociation can lead to feeling disconnected from reality, affecting daily functioning and relationships. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Trauma-Focused Therapy &ndash; Trauma-focused therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), can help trauma survivors process and integrate dissociated memories.</li>
	<li>Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) &ndash; DBT can help individuals develop emotional regulation skills, making it easier to manage distressing emotions and reduce dissociation.</li>
	<li>Grounding Techniques &ndash; Grounding techniques involve using the senses to anchor oneself in the present moment, reducing dissociation&#39;s intensity and helping survivors feel more connected to reality.</li>
	<li>Mindfulness Practices &ndash; Mindfulness practices can help trauma survivors develop self-awareness and acceptance, allowing them to approach dissociation with a non-judgmental perspective.</li>
	<li>Expressive Therapies &ndash; Expressive therapies like art, music and dance can provide alternative ways for trauma survivors to process emotions and experiences non-verbally.</li>
	<li>Creating A&nbsp;Safe Environment &ndash; Therapists should create a safe and supportive environment for trauma survivors, encouraging open communication about dissociation and its impact.</li>
	<li>Patience And Compassion &ndash; Supporting trauma survivors with dissociation requires patience and compassion, as the healing journey may be long and challenging.</li>
	<li>Building Resilience &ndash; Therapeutic approaches aim to help trauma survivors build resilience, strengthening their ability to cope with dissociation and traumatic memories.</li>
	<li>Encouraging Self-Care &ndash; Trauma survivors should prioritize self-care, engaging in activities that promote relaxation, self-nurturing and emotional well-being. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

The link between trauma and dissociation underscores the complexity of coping with distressing experiences. Dissociation serves as a protective mechanism to survive overwhelming emotions, but it can also hinder emotional regulation and memory processing for trauma survivors. If you or someone you know has experienced trauma, you must cultivate immense patience and compassion as this is navigated through. It&rsquo;s not easy however but it&rsquo;s definitely worth it. By creating a safe and compassionate environment and promoting self-care, we can help trauma survivors navigate their journey toward resilience and recovery from dissociation and trauma.