Why Does Dissociation Happen?

Dissociation happens when the nervous system is overwhelmed by something that feels too big, too fast, or dangerous. It develops as a survival response and allows the person to get mental distance from the overwhelming situation even when they are unable to get physical distance. Over time, the brain can continue using dissociation automatically whenever situations feel threatening or overwhelming.

In this way, dissociation is one of the nervous system’s built-in responses to extreme stress or trauma.

This page is part of the What Is Dissociation? section of the CommuniDID site, which explains how dissociation works and why it develops.

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• Questions about dissociation