Do You Dissociate Under Stress? What It Really Means by Karan Kataria

Dissociation is more common than most people realize—and it's not something to be ashamed of. It's actually your nervous system’s built-in way of protecting you when things feel too overwhelming.

Whether you’ve experienced dissociation yourself or support others who have, understanding it is key to healing and grounding.

It can look like:

• Feeling checked out or disconnected

• Showing little or no emotion

• Losing track of time

• Watching life as if it’s happening to someone else

5 Simple Steps to Reconnect (Grounding Technique):

Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise to gently bring yourself back into the present moment:

1. Five things you can see

2. Four things you can touch

3. Three things you can hear

4. Two things you can smell

5. One thing you can taste

This technique can help anchor you when you feel dissociated. Be gentle with yourself — it’s okay to need tools like this.

For more information on managing dissociation and nervous system responses, contact the Lukin Center for Psychotherapy.

---

Lukin Center for Psychotherapy

*Lukin Center Psychotherapy Offers In Person Sessions + Tele-Therapy

Visit Website

Instagram

YouTube

LinkedIn  

Facebook

20 Wilsey Square | Ridgewood, NJ 07450 | (551) 427-2458

1 Engle Street, Suite 202 | Englewood, NJ 07631 | (201) 409-0376

80 River Street, Suite 302 | Hoboken, NJ 07030 | (917) 903-1901

7 Montgomery Street, Suite 502 | Jersey City, NJ 07302 | (201) 577-8124

​51 Upper Montclair Plaza | Montclair, NJ 07034 | (973) 787-4470

128 S. Euclid Avenue | Westfield, NJ 07090 | (908) 509-8336

97 Main Street, Suite 102 | Chatham, NJ 07928 | (973) 782-1275