What Is Dissociation

What Is Dissociation Addiction Addictive Behaviors Print What Is Dissociation? By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Updated on May 12, 2019 David Ryle/Stone/Getty Images More in Addiction Addictive Behaviors Caffeine Internet Shopping Sex Alcohol Use Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Definition: Dissociation is a psychological experience in which people feel disconnected from their sensory experience, sense of self, or personal history. It is usually experienced as a feeling of intense alienation or unreality, in which the person suddenly loses their sense of where they are, who they are, of what they are doing. Dissociation often occurs in response to trauma  and seems to have a protective aspect in that it allows people to feel disconnected from traumatic events. This is sometimes described as an out-of-body experience. However, dissociation can be distressing when it continues to occur, even when people are engaged in everyday activities. Dissociation can also be an effect of psychoactive drugs. Some drugs, such as dissociative drugs, which can be used as date rape drugs, have a strong dissociative effect, which others, such as alcohol and cannabis cause dissociation in some people but not others. The experience of dissociation occurring as a result of taking ketamine is known as a k-hole. Dissociation has been used therapeutically to gain more control of mental states in the approach of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Dissociation can also be a symptom of mental illnesses such as Dissociative Identity Disorder. Pronunciation: dis-sO-see-A-shun Also Known As: disassociation, zoning out, out-of-body experience, k-hole Examples: After several days of intense cannabis use, Jane began to experience dissociation from her surroundings.