342. The psychology of dissociation

psychologyofyour20s

Have you ever felt like the world around you isn’t quite real, or like you’re watching your life from the outside? Have you ever driven somewhere and suddenly wondered how you got there? It might be dissociation - a surprisingly common psychological experience that can be both protective and, at times, unsettling.

In this episode we look at the psychology behind dissociation – what is going on in our bodies and brains during this state, what triggers us and how it interacts with wider factors in our lives.

We explore:
•        The science of why we freeze in this state
•        How it can help us cope, and when it becomes maladaptive
•        Interactions with ADHD, trauma and survival mode
•        Why it feels so unsettling
•        Strategies to pull you back in
•        Reminders for when we don’t feel real

If you’ve ever felt like you were living on autopilot, this episode is for you.

ORDER MY BOOK

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com 

 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More description

Have you ever felt like the world around you isn’t quite real, or like you’re watching your life from the outside? Have you ever driven somewhere and suddenly wondered how you got there? It might be dissociation - a surprisingly common psychological experience that can be both protective and, at times, unsettling.

In this episode we look at the psychology behind dissociation – what is going on in our bodies and brains during this state, what triggers us and how it interacts with wider factors in our lives.

We explore:
•        The science of why we freeze in this state
•        How it can help us cope, and when it becomes maladaptive
•        Interactions with ADHD, trauma and survival mode
•        Why it feels so unsettling
•        Strategies to pull you back in
•        Reminders for when we don’t feel real

If you’ve ever felt like you were living on autopilot, this episode is for you.

ORDER MY BOOK

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com 

 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025-10-13 46 min Transcript
Listen elsewhere

Available Results

Generated results are saved to your library for reuse and search.

No generated results are available for this episode yet.

Transcript

Open the Transcript tab to load the transcript.

Chapters

No chapters available.