here in america (USA) there are many different forms of dissociation...

normal dissociation that everyone does...

spacing out, feeling numb, feeling like they are not in their body, and other things too like daydreaming, ......

then there are the different dissociative disorders. recognized here in america are....

http://forums.psychcentral.com/disso...s-dsm-5-a.html

that said not all of those mentioned above are ......Always.....called dissociation.

its like hearing voices...thats one symptom that many mental disorders have right...

a person who is has bipolar, depression, PTSD and many other mental disorders too will sometimes have that same symptom.

physical problems too can have the same symptoms that mental disorders do.

the line in the sand well that all depends upon many factors whether what symptom you have is called dissociation or not, like your own health, your own mental problems, what life, religions, culture you are in....all kinds of things have to be looked at when a doctor has to decide whether a persons symptom is called dissociation or not...

let me give you an example...I felt not inside my body. I thought my dissociation problem right. but my doctors are really good, they listened to me and then we did lots and lots of tests, and trying this and that treatment. this went on for a long time until one day the tests finally answered the question of whether my being outside my body was dissociation. it wasnt for me it was multiple Sclerosis a A medical disease that attacks my own body and makes my brain tell me I am not in my body. Im on special meds that help slow down the problems and helps me to stay more aware of being in my body.

another time I was going through some really hard stuff and I started feeling disconnected and like watching outside my body. after many tests and talking with my treatment providers this situation was called dissociation..

see what I mean two situations, same person and same symptoms that turned out to be two different diagnosis.

only your treatment providers can say whether what you are going through is dissociation or not.

if you think you may have a dissociation problem the best thing you can do is contact your own treatment providers. they can give you special tests that can rule in and out any mental, physical and normal things that have the same dissociation symptoms. and then tell you whether what you are feeling is a dissociation problem or not.