Daydreaming, a form of normal dissociation associated with absorption, is a highly prevalent mental activity experienced by almost everyone. Some individuals reportedly possess the ability to daydream so vividly that they experience a sense of presence in the imagined environment.
The conditions that are common with maladaptive daydreaming are: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Anxiety disorders. Certain types of depression.
What is dissociation? Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. Dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, depersonalisation disorder and dissociative identity disorder.
There are five main ways in which the dissociation of psychological processes changes the way a person experiences living: depersonalization, derealization, amnesia, identity confusion, and identity alteration.
Examples of mild, common dissociation include daydreaming, highway hypnosis or “getting lost” in a book or movie, all of which involve “losing touch” with awareness of one's immediate surroundings.
Zoning out is considered a type of dissociation, which is a feeling of being disconnected from the world around you. Some people experience severe dissociation, but "zoning out" is considered a much milder form. Daydreaming is the most common kind of zoning or spacing out.
Disassociation in ADHD
One way to differentiate the two is if you start healing from trauma, and the symptoms go away, then they were probably caused by trauma. If they stick around, then it is more likely to be ADHD.
Derealization is similar but distinct from depersonalization. The latter involves a feeling of detachment not from your environment, but from your own body, thoughts, or feelings. It's as if you're watching what's happening to yourself as an outsider.
A second style of daydreaming—guilty-dysphoric daydreaming—features unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, guilt, fear of failure, and obsessive, hostile, and aggressive fantasies about others. Such daydreamers are highly neurotic.
Excessive daydreaming is a disorder also known as maladaptive daydreaming. It happens in people who have vivid, well-thought-out daydreams that go on for hours.
Many times, people who are dissociating are not even aware that it is happening, other people notice it. Just like other types of avoidance, dissociation can interfere with facing up and getting over a trauma or an unrealistic fear.
Eye contact is broken, the conversation comes to an abrupt halt, and clients can look frightened, “spacey,” or emotionally shut down. Clients often report feeling disconnected from the environment as well as their body sensations and can no longer accurately gauge the passage of time.
It's possible to have dissociation and not know it. If you have a dissociative disorder, for example, you may keep your symptoms hidden or explain them another way. Common signs you or a loved one should watch out for include: Rapid mood swings.
Differences in emotions in people with ADHD can lead to 'shutdowns', where someone is so overwhelmed with emotions that they space out, may find it hard to speak or move and may struggle to articulate what they are feeling until they can process their emotions.
Dissociation can occur in response to traumatic events, and/or in response to prolonged exposure to trauma (for example, trauma that occurs in the context of people's relationships). Dissociation can affect memory, sense of identity, the way the world is perceived and the connection to the physical body 3.
Feeling your identity shift and change
Speak in a different voice or voices. Use a different name or names. Feel as if you are losing control to 'someone else' Experience different parts of your identity at different times.
Dissociation and depersonalization disorders
Dissociative amnesia: People forget information about themselves or things that have happened to them. Depersonalization-derealization disorder: This can involve out-of-body experiences, a feeling of being unreal, and an inability to recognize one's image in a mirror.
Passing feelings of depersonalization or derealization are common and aren't necessarily a cause for concern. But ongoing or severe feelings of detachment and distortion of your surroundings can be a sign of depersonalization-derealization disorder or another physical or mental health disorder.
A period of dissociation can last anywhere from a few seconds, a few minutes, or even longer, depending on the individual and their situation. Significant physical, mental, or emotional trauma frequently triggers a state of dissociation, but dissociations, especially mild cases, are a common and expected part of life.
Dissociation is a defence mechanism that sees you react to stress or boredom by detaching from reality. You numb out your thoughts, feelings, and even physical sensations.
Moreover, the question of self-talk frequency in relation to dissociation has been observed before. The more a person partakes in dissociative tendencies, the more likely they are to engage in self-talk.