Quote:
Originally Posted by LydiaB
I sometimes can't tell the difference between depersonalizing and dissociating. Or maybe I have depersonalized, and I dissociate pretty much ALL the time, so I don't even know the difference from "normal". But I've felt things like being above myself and watching myself talk, but not being the one to form the words. Looking down at my hands and them not being my hands. Everything being waxy or plastic. It almost sends me into a panic attack. Looking at myself in the mirror and having no idea who I am. Spacing out pretty much constantly. Lack of concentration. More recently I've noticed I loose time, although I never put it together before.
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you may not be able to tell the difference between "dissociating" and depersonalization for the same reason I used to not be able to tell the difference - I thought "dissociating" and "depersonalization" were different things. my treatment providers explained to be there really isnt a difference in the two words except for Dissociating is a broader term meaning all dissociative symptoms, where as "depersonalization" is a group of only a few dissociative symptoms.
she used her wind chimes as an example. the word "wind chimes" represents the whole where as each tube represents its own musical note.
another example she used was a deck of cards. the name deck of cards represents the whole pack. the word "Diamonds" represents only one grouping in that deck of card.
The word dissociation represents all dissociative symptoms and depersonalization represents only one grouping of symptoms.
so when I am having depersonalization issues I am dissociating.
hope this helps you as much as it did me when my treatment provider explained it this way.