Have you ever felt completely disconnected from your body, lost hours of time, or wondered why you feel numb when overwhelmed? In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton explores dissociation and the full spectrum of dissociative disorders, including depersonalization-derealization (DPDR), dissociative amnesia, and dissociative identity disorder (DID). You'll learn the neuroscience behind why your brain pulls the ripcord to protect you, how to distinguish normal spacing out from trauma responses, and somatic grounding techniques to regulate your nervous system.
To see if specialized trauma therapy with Rebound could be the right next step for you, head to https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything where you can check your insurance, book a free call with one of their care specialists, and find out more.
Timestamps
00:00 What Is Dissociation?
00:55 Spacing Out vs. Dissociating
02:03 How the DSM Defines Dissociative Disorders
03:11 Dissociative Episodes vs. Diagnosable Disorders
06:03 Why Your Brain Pulls the Ripcord (Nervous System Protection)
10:05 Hypoarousal, the Freeze State & Emotional Dampening
12:28 Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPDR) Criteria
14:53 Reality Testing: DPDR vs. Psychosis
21:02 How Common Is Dissociation? Statistics & Comorbidities
25:25 Dissociative Amnesia vs. Normal Everyday Forgetting
30:42 What Is a Dissociative Fugue?
35:07 Localized, Selective & Generalized Amnesia
36:15 Brain Networks & Memory Suppression Mechanisms
40:02 Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Explained
40:40 Parts Work vs. Alters in DID
46:00 Cultural Context & What DID Is Not (DID vs. Schizophrenia)
47:18 The Dissociation Spectrum: Maladaptive Daydreaming to DID
50:07 Childhood Trauma & The Role of Protector Alters
54:37 How to Tell If You're Dissociating or Just Zoning Out
56:00 Somatic Grounding Techniques for Dissociation
58:45 Nervous System Regulation, Qigong & Calming the Amygdala
60:34 Therapy Approaches for DID: System Cooperation vs. Integration
SOCIAL
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MY BOOKS
Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ
Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY
ONLINE THERAPY
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)
This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
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