Question RE: Dissociation and EFs

[movementforthebetter]

Can dissociation and an emotional flashback happen concurrently?

I'd been feeling exhausted and disconnected and depressed today. I've only just figured out why. Today it was due to life changes, uncertainty and lack of control while waiting to take my next steps. I think the causes vary but are often around those themes.

How would I know if I'm experiencing a freeze-response EF, or Dissociation, or both? If anyone has any experience I'd like to know.

Thanks.

[woodsgnome]

For me, it seems like they can and do occur together. I think I tend to freeze first, but soon feel the dissociation, which in turn can all have been triggered by an EF. They all seem to rush in together, but I may not recognize all of that immediately; later though it'll hit me like a ton of bricks.

Knowing for sure how any of this happens or how to guard against it escapes me. Just reminds of how grueling these unwanted circumstances really are. Recognizing it, as you have, still seems better and despite the pain perhaps a sign of some progress towards at least coping better with it.

[ToreyP]

I would say that they can, from my experience.  I exist almost 24/7 in a permanent state of dissociation/depersonalisation and experience EFs daily.

[movementforthebetter]

Thanks for both of your responses.

Coming out of it enough to recognize it for what it is,  is definitely progress for me. Of course the holy grail is not getting to that state in the first place.

I hope it's not just a more optimistic mood talking, but I like to think that the more I understand what is happening to me and why, the less scary and isolating it is, and maybe even knowledge encourages me to come out of it sooner than I would have previously.

Dissociation is a real problem when combined with a freeze response because it's so disempowering and paralyzing. I end up turning to pretty unhealthy coping mechanisms to try and soothe myself and ride it out.

Now that I know it's a 1-2 punch, I can see that I need more than the usual grounding exercises to break out of it.

[Andyman73]

As I am still learning about myself, in regards to the past 42 abuse and trauma filled years....I can't honestly say.

I do think I am in some sort of abnormal state of awareness, along the lines of what Torey says he lives in. One of the most obvious things to me is singing. I have a non-stop music stream in my head. Sometimes I sing along with it...consciously, but sometimes songs come out of my mouth as if someone else is singing. IN other words...I don't hear it in my head like thinking of the song and then singing it. When this happens, there's no connection between my own mouth and ears. I really don't know how to explain it. 

Sometimes I write and the words that appear on the screen didn't come from my brain, but fingers only.