6. What Is Dissociation? When Abuse Forces Your Mind to Go Numb Just to Survive

"I would watch myself floating above, just detached from my body. I didn't know it had a name." This episode explores what dissociation actually feels like from the inside: the weightlessness, the numbness, the experience of watching your own life unfold from somewhere outside your body. It explains what dissociation is, why it happens, and why over 50% of women experiencing domestic violence will exhibit dissociative symptoms, often without ever knowing it. It also walks through one of the most powerful stories on the podcast: a highway road-rage incident in which a family is trapped in a car with no way out, and explains exactly what happens in the brain when a person feels completely trapped with nowhere to go. If you have ever felt numb, robotic, or like you were watching your own life from the outside, this episode will finally give you a name for what you experienced. Send us Fan Mail The personal experiences shared in this podcast are the opinions of the individuals sharing them and are not intended to serve as professional advice or constitute accusations about any other person, organization, or group. We encourage you to seek professional support and assistance. The topics discussed in this podcast may be distressing and triggering for some listeners and could impact your mental health. The content of this podcast is intended for educational and awareness purposes only. For more information and resources, please visit hanginthere.net.