[UglyDucky]

Hi, All~~I typically spend most of my time in Depression and Psychotherapy forums, but need some perspective from the experts on this forum to make sense of what it is I do in therapy.

Since beginning therapy, periodically I'll 'go away,' for lack of a better term. Early on in therapy, I told my T that I seem to frequently dissociate during appts. My T has never referred to my periods of not being present as 'dissociation' - T is the one who came up with the term 'go away' when we talk about my mental absences.

I've been researching possible states of consciousness that describes what happens when I 'go away' but have found nothing close to what I experience. I don't feel anything (emotionally or physically - can't feel bodily sensations like sitting in the chair), nor do I have any thoughts - not one. If T's voice gets loud enough, I can bring my consciousness/attention back, but I have to ask her/him to please repeat what was said.

T has been in private practice 36 years, so I'm confident there's not much s/he doesn't know or hasn't seen. I plan to ask what s/he thinks is happening, but I don't have another appt. for a week. I get the feeling T is still trying to get a better handle on what my mind does before s/he diagnoses a dissociative disorder (there is a 'dissociation' that's different from DD).

Does anyone else simply 'go away' in the way I do? It's almost like I'm dead - I don't have any sense that I exist anywhere. I must be conscious as I can respond when T's voice gets loud enough.

Any thoughts or opinions will be greatly appreciated! I don't know when I'm about to 'go away' and I hate that I do this. It also happens outside of therapy and I seem to function (drive, shop for groceries, etc.), but I don't know what triggers it...maybe strong emotions? Thanks~~

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by UglyDucky

Hi, All~~I typically spend most of my time in Depression and Psychotherapy forums, but need some perspective from the experts on this forum to make sense of what it is I do in therapy.

Since beginning therapy, periodically I'll 'go away,' for lack of a better term. Early on in therapy, I told my T that I seem to frequently dissociate during appts. My T has never referred to my periods of not being present as 'dissociation' - T is the one who came up with the term 'go away' when we talk about my mental absences.

I've been researching possible states of consciousness that describes what happens when I 'go away' but have found nothing close to what I experience. I don't feel anything (emotionally or physically - can't feel bodily sensations like sitting in the chair), nor do I have any thoughts - not one. If T's voice gets loud enough, I can bring my consciousness/attention back, but I have to ask her/him to please repeat what was said.

T has been in private practice 36 years, so I'm confident there's not much s/he doesn't know or hasn't seen. I plan to ask what s/he thinks is happening, but I don't have another appt. for a week. I get the feeling T is still trying to get a better handle on what my mind does before s/he diagnoses a dissociative disorder (there is a 'dissociation' that's different from DD).

Does anyone else simply 'go away' in the way I do? It's almost like I'm dead - I don't have any sense that I exist anywhere. I must be conscious as I can respond when T's voice gets loud enough.

Any thoughts or opinions will be greatly appreciated! I don't know when I'm about to 'go away' and I hate that I do this. It also happens outside of therapy and I seem to function (drive, shop for groceries, etc.), but I don't know what triggers it...maybe strong emotions? Thanks~~

perspectives from the experts...sorry for that you need to contact your own treatment providers, (yes I understand you meant that in a metaphorical way just dont want anyone to mis interpret what I post as being from an expert)

here in my location there are many terms for what you posted...

for example

catatonic is where a person suddenly loses touch fully or partially with the present moment, or reality, doesnt know what is real and what isnt at the moment, cant feel physical sensations

psychotic is another term where a person suddenly loses touch either fully or half conscious with being present in the moment, loses touch with reality, doesnt know what is real and what isnt, cant feel physical sensations.

trance state is another term in my location for when a person places their self in a state of half conscious relaxation, sometimes to the point of being out of touch with the present moment, and sometimes doesnt realize what is real and what isnt at the moment, cant feel physical sensations.

these are just a few of the situations that share the same symptoms in your post, only your treatment provider can say what is happening with in you.

here in my location the only "dissociation" that is not a dissociative disorder is called normal dissociation. this is completely normal situations of spacing out, high concentration...examples self or highway hypnosis, light infrequent daydreaming, so tuned in to tv shows or objects or activities that one doesnt pay any mind to what is going on outside that activity, the not normal levels of dissociation in my location are things that are listed in my link at the bottom of the post.

here in my location when a treatment provider says to someone they have "gone away" it can mean anything from purposely not thinking about something and focusing on something internal to the topic has triggered thoughts of something else to any of the above and other things too. only your treatment provider can say what they mean by this statement.

my suggestion is contact your treatment provider, or when you do see your treatment provider next, let them know you need clarification on terms and your present diagnosis (which will answer in part where you go or what is happening to you)

what I can tell you is that depression and PTSD ( the problems you have listed in your profile) now do include as specifiers symptoms of dissociation.

Hi, I don't know if this is the samething, but, it's like when I'm confronted with something that goes too deep for me to discuss, I just like daze out, mostly to avoid going there because a lot of times it's too hard to bring out, so I do not want to expose it, confront it, or talk about it.

If that's part of dissociation, I don't know. I just know that I do it a lot.