What Is Dissociation?
Dissociation is detaching from an experience. Many women who experience betrayal and emotional abuse use dissociation to cope with pain, fear, and devastation. The ability to dissociate may be very helpful for women as they begin to heal, however, dissociation can also be unhealthy.
Emotional Abuse Victims Ask: Am I Dissociating?
There is a spectrum of dissociation ranging from mild to severe. The following list of seven symptoms of dissociation may help to validate betrayal and abuse victims as they determine if they are experiencing dissociation.
7 Dissociation Symptoms In Betrayal And Emotional Abuse Victims
- Memory Loss
- Forgetfulness
- Inability to concentrate
- Zoning Out
- Imagining the same scenario over and over and over
- Getting somewhere and not knowing how you got there
- Feeling disconnected from yourself
Can Victims Find Freedom From Dissociation?
For a woman to heal from this particular effect of betrayal and abuse, she must find safety.
The single most important step a woman can take to find safety is to set and maintain appropriate boundaries. Boundaries are not statements, requests, or ultimatums. They are courageous actions that victims take to separate themselves from abuse.
Betrayal Trauma Recovery Supports Victims of Emotional Abuse
The first step to healing is making sure that you are safe. To know if you are safe takes connection, some time, and some education.
Anne Blythe, founder of Betrayal Trauma Recovery
At BTR, we understand how difficult it is to find safety and then to begin the process of healing. No women should go through it alone. The Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group meets daily in every time zone, and offers victims the community, support, and validation that they need to stay on the path to peace. Join today.
Thank you SO MUCH for this. “…you could have become a drug addict, you could’ve become an alcoholic. You could have turned to all kinds of destructive coping mechanisms. If the worst thing that you did was dissociate a little bit and had a few memory lapses, in the grand scheme of things, I’d say you’re pretty normal and doing pretty good. I can think of far worse ways that betrayed wives could be coping than occasionally checking out.“ I’ve told myself this so many times thinking I may have been minimizing what was possibly unhealthy coping behavior. I think it was my way of keeping myself safe. It has been a few years of pure hell, and I think that dissociation (through movies, knitting, and zoning out) may have saved my sanity and life. This is so good to know. So good to know I’m not crazy! Thank you so much.
I’m so glad this is helpful to you! The journey to healing is long, but totally possible. Hang in there!