[GunterWunter345]

Ok so I've always kind of done this but now it's kind of concerning me because I do it all the time and I can't control it. It's like I go on a mental trip. I'll just stare at something, and then I'm gone and you can't bring me back. I don't think about anything, I just feel detached and like all my surroundings are surrealistic. It's been happening to me more often at school... and it's interfering with my studies.. but I'm too afraid to tell my parents. I can't really hear what other people are saying, and if I can I can't understand what they're saying at all. It leaves me extremely tired, and the problem with this is that if I am tired, I 'check out' again!-_- My teacher thought I was half asleep so she yelled out my name and that actually helped.. or the only other thing is if the bell rings ( rings after every class). What do you call this?

[Rapunzel]

It does sound like dissociating. You can learn to control it. It helps to have professional support, as there is a reason why this happens. When you dissociate, practice noticing that you have checked out. Then you will know that you need to bring yourself back, which takes some practice but you can do it. To bring yourself back, focus on what is going on around you. Use your senses to get in touch with what you can see, hear, feel, smell, taste, etc. that is real and also safe. You can also start to recognize the triggers that cause you to dissociate. Often there was something that a part of you felt was unsafe, often because it reminded you of something scary or unsafe from your past experiences. Part of healing is learning to recognize when you are safe and reconnect with your life in the present moment, and sometimes to do that, you need to understand why you felt unsafe before.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by GunterWunter345

Ok so I've always kind of done this but now it's kind of concerning me because I do it all the time and I can't control it. It's like I go on a mental trip. I'll just stare at something, and then I'm gone and you can't bring me back. I don't think about anything, I just feel detached and like all my surroundings are surrealistic. It's been happening to me more often at school... and it's interfering with my studies.. but I'm too afraid to tell my parents. I can't really hear what other people are saying, and if I can I can't understand what they're saying at all. It leaves me extremely tired, and the problem with this is that if I am tired, I 'check out' again!-_- My teacher thought I was half asleep so she yelled out my name and that actually helped.. or the only other thing is if the bell rings ( rings after every class). What do you call this?

your thread title....am I dissociating? ....

Im sorry we cant tell you whether what you are going through is called dissociation in you....

heres why....

sometimes when I have done this, here where I live and work in New York which is in the USA as opposed to other New york's around the world....

my treatment providers have called it....trance state (self Hypnosis), day dreaming, psychosis, medication problems, stress, sleep deprivation, anemia, and so much more..

you see dissociation symptoms can also be any number of mental and physical health problems/symptoms..

therefore the only way in which to find out whether you have a dissociation problem is by contacting your own treatment providers. So my suggestion is contact your treatment providers if this continues to bother you. they will be able to tell you whether this is dissociation in you or another physical or mental health problem.

[innocentjoy]

If you have a counselor (guidance or other) or nurse at your school, I would suggest talking to them. I can understand that talking to your parents might be too much right now, but it would also help to have someone supportive who understands. If you feel safe with that teacher, you could also talk to them, and even just explain that what they did, calling out your name, helped bring you back. A lot of students have trouble with focus, and teachers will be more understanding about any confusion over coursework, etc, if they know that you aren't just ignoring them, that you actually can't understand. If none of those supports feel safe to you, other options are your family doctor, or any other supports in your life.
Good luck, keep us posted!!

[alone4life]

Well, that depends... daydreaming is considered disassociating and that's what it sounds like your doing. If you're talking about having alters or something that's a form of disassociating too, but it's more complex. I have been clinically diagnosed with DID and I know what disassociating is. I think you may just be sleep deprived.