Dissociation

Dissociation describes stepping out of one's own sensations and presence, which at first strongly reminds of hypnosis. Normally, we experience our feelings, thoughts and perceptions simultaneously and coherently. That means that what we think matches our feelings and vice versa. In a dissociation, these are separated from each other for a few seconds or even longer. Many sufferers describe the dissociative state as if they were standing next to themselves and observing themselves from the outside. Externally, it seems as if the person has drifted away and is not in the here and now. A dissociative state can be compared to a trance. Dissociation is often sought in hypnosis. Certain stressful situations in the past can thus be viewed and processed in a dissociated manner from a safe distance. A distinction can be made between spatial and temporal dissociation. The methodology of dissociation is readily used in the pain therapy with hypnosis and allows the hypnotist to allow the body, and therefore the pain, to fall asleep from the head down and allow the body to leave and regenerate during this time in the trance.