Dissociated behavior (more commonly called dissociative behavior) refers to actions, experiences, or mental states that occur when a person becomes partially disconnected from their thoughts, emotions, body, memory, or sense of identity.
Dissociation exists on a spectrum, from normal and mild to severe and clinical.
Normal / Mild Dissociation (Common Human Experience)
These are everyday examples:
- “Zoning out” while driving (highway hypnosis)
- Daydreaming
- Losing track of time while reading
- Feeling slightly detached during stress
These are usually harmless and temporary.
Stress-Induced Dissociated Behavior
Under high stress or threat (related to the freeze response in the autonomic nervous system), a person may:
- Appear emotionally numb
- Speak in a flat tone
- Seem “far away” or spaced out
- Have slowed responses
- Report feeling unreal or detached
This is often protective, the nervous system dampens overwhelming emotion.
Clinical Dissociative Symptoms
When dissociation becomes chronic or disruptive, behaviors may include:
Depersonalization
- Feeling detached from your body
- Watching yourself from the outside
- Feeling robotic or unreal
Derealization
- The world feels dreamlike or artificial
- People seem distant or distorted
Dissociative Amnesia
- Memory gaps
- Not remembering important events
- “Lost time”
Identity Fragmentation
Seen in severe trauma-related conditions like Dissociative Identity Disorder:
- Distinct identity states
- Behavioral shifts that feel outside conscious control
Behavioral Signs Others Might Notice
- Sudden personality shifts
- Blank staring episodes
- Mechanical or automatic behavior
- Inconsistent recall of conversations
- Emotional responses that don’t match the situation
Why Dissociation Happens
From a trauma-informed perspective, dissociation is a defensive adaptation:
- Overwhelming childhood trauma
- Attachment disruption
- Chronic stress
- Emotional flooding
- Nervous system hyperarousal followed by shutdown
It is often linked to polyvagal shutdown (dorsal vagal response),
“Consult with a neurologist/ an MD“
Important Distinction
Dissociation X psychosis.
In psychosis, reality testing is impaired (e.g., delusions, hallucinations).
In dissociation, the person often knows something feels “off” or unreal.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 