Dissociation: From Zoning Out to Depersonalization

Have you ever felt completely disconnected from your body, lost hours of time, or wondered why you feel numb when overwhelmed? In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton explores dissociation and the full spectrum of dissociative disorders, including depersonalization-derealization (DPDR), dissociative amnesia, and dissociative identity disorder (DID). You'll learn the neuroscience behind why your brain pulls the ripcord to protect you, how to distinguish normal spacing out from trauma responses, and somatic grounding techniques to regulate your nervous system. To see if specialized trauma therapy with Rebound could be the right next step for you, head to https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything where you can check your insurance, book a free call with one of their care specialists, and find out more. Timestamps 00:00 What Is Dissociation? 00:55 Spacing Out vs. Dissociating 02:03 How the DSM Defines Dissociative Disorders 03:11 Dissociative Episodes vs. Diagnosable Disorders 06:03 Why Your Brain Pulls the Ripcord (Nervous System Protection) 10:05 Hypoarousal, the Freeze State & Emotional Dampening 12:28 Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPDR) Criteria 14:53 Reality Testing: DPDR vs. Psychosis 21:02 How Common Is Dissociation? Statistics & Comorbidities 25:25 Dissociative Amnesia vs. Normal Everyday Forgetting 30:42 What Is a Dissociative Fugue? 35:07 Localized, Selective & Generalized Amnesia 36:15 Brain Networks & Memory Suppression Mechanisms 40:02 Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Explained 40:40 Parts Work vs. Alters in DID 46:00 Cultural Context & What DID Is Not (DID vs. Schizophrenia) 47:18 The Dissociation Spectrum: Maladaptive Daydreaming to DID 50:07 Childhood Trauma & The Role of Protector Alters 54:37 How to Tell If You're Dissociating or Just Zoning Out 56:00 Somatic Grounding Techniques for Dissociation 58:45 Nervous System Regulation, Qigong & Calming the Amygdala 60:34 Therapy Approaches for DID: System Cooperation vs. Integration SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/katimorton?sub_confirmation=1 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ MY BOOKS Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you. PARTNERSHIPS Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co Disclaimer The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices