Strategies for Maintaining Presence: 11 Effective Methods for Overcoming Body Dissociation
Managing Dissociation on the Go
Supporting yourself when the world seems distant
Are you feeling disconnected from your surroundings or even yourself? Dissociation can leave you feeling lost in a dream-like state, but fear not! We've got some solid tips to help you reconnect with reality, even in public spaces.
Finding Your Roots
When you're feeling adrift, try these basic methods to create a more solid foundation:
- Breathe DEEPLY: Take deep breaths, inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4, and exhaling for 6. This simple exercise can help you refocus to the here and now.
- Sense Beyond Sight: Hold onto a small, textured object, like a stress ball or running your fingers along a piece of fabric. Let the unique sensations ground you in the present.
- Count Away: It might sound simple, but counting backwards from 100 by sevens, or naming all the countries you know, can help pull you out of the fog.
- Take a Sensory Tour: Identify and name the colors, smells, textures, tastes, and sounds around you. This reflective activity keeps your mind engaged with the world around you.
In a pinch, practices like these can help you stay connected in any environment!
Navigating Public Spaces
Dissociating in public can feel overwhelming. But with these tips, you'll be able to navigate even the busiest of spaces with ease.
- Secret Weapons: Keep a small, textured object in your pocket, like a keychain or bracelet. A quick touch can help bring your focus back to reality.
- Counting Down to Reality: Take a discreet moment to count backwards from 100. You can even use a pattern like sevens or threes if it helps!
- Sensory Snapshots: When you feel disconnected, take a moment to identify things you can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell around you. Remember, subtlety is key!
Pro Tips for Overcoming Dissociation
- Lean on a Friend: Have a pre-arranged plan to reach out to a trusted person who can help ground and reassure you when things feel overwhelming.
- Tried and True Methods: Reflect on techniques that have worked for you in past episodes. Sometimes, our own experience can provide the best comfort.
- Mantras for the Mind: Repeat reassuring phrases or mantras to yourself, like "I am safe right now" or "I am here."
- Flexible Focus: Dissociative episodes can come on suddenly. Be prepared with a few different strategies so you can overcome them no matter where you are.
With just a few simple steps, you can learn to manage dissociative episodes, even in public spaces, so you can stay connected to the present moment.
- Deep breathing exercises, such as inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4, and exhaling for 6, can help reduce stress and aid in mental recovery, essential for managing dissociation.
- Grounding oneself through tactile sensations like running fingers along a barefoot-friendly surface, just like earthy grounding in health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise disciplines, can aid in maintaining a connection with reality during dissociation.
- Engaging in methods that encourage mindful attention, like taking a 'sensory tour' of one's surroundings, can contribute to maintaining a solid foundation of mental health during dissociative episodes.
- Counting or repeating mantras, such as "I am safe right now" or "I am here," can provide solace and help facilitate a recovery from dissociation.
- Leveraging science-backed tools, like keeping a small, textured object in one's pocket to provide a quick means of stress relief in public spaces, can prove beneficial in overcoming dissociation and maintaining overall wellness.
