Wingnut, still dissociate some, but made a lot of headway these last few years.
This is what I have found.
Reality is far more bizarre than fiction. I was so overwhelmed by "reality", I was dumbstruck, and would dissociate. So I stick with the measurable reality,and stay present, I find that people are risky when they should be careful, over cautious when there is no risk. People collect mounts of garbage bought from Macy's and Walmart...and pay interest on that garbage via credit card. Most cannot do basic reasoning and calculation, and wonder why their lives are a disaster. Of course, I am mildly autistic, I see things like Spock.
I also find people very irritating, and I stuffed this down all my life to try to be "pleasant", and would become so exhausted I would dissociate.
I dissociate because the over stimulation overwhelms me, and because interpersonal reasoning is bizarre so much of the time.
What do you think...?
Also...good job, I know it is VERY tough to break the dissociation habit,