Dissociation and how men aren’t taught to process grief

Dissociation is defined as a way the mind copes with too much stress, such as during a traumatic event. I speak on my personal experiences with dissociation and how scary it can be but also the real truth in how for generations, it has been used as a coping mechanism to endure abuse, trauma or painful situations without dealing with the emotions that arise as a result. I discuss the old saying of ‘go to your happy place’ and how this has inadvertently taught generations of people to detach from their emotions and not deal with uncomfortable situations or emotions. Towards the end of this podcast I speak on behalf of my good friend Joe, who has spoken many times about how hard it is as a man to become comfortable with his emotions and vulnerability and that the ideology and ‘stereotype’ of what it means to be a man in todays society is so rapidly shifting it makes it difficult to figure out where you stand. I always struggle speaking on another group wether it be men, POC, LGBTQ+ community or any other marginalised group as I am well aware there are issues I will not have recognised as I don’t encounter these struggles personally. The most I can do is shed light on the people around me who share these experiences with me in the most empathetic and judgement free way possible, so we can collectively learn more about what different groups struggle with. Send me a MessageSupport the show