We really, as a society, need to stop treating sex like a rite of passage. It hurts me so much to see people (especially high schoolers) embarrassed to say they haven’t had sex.
For some people it may take time, for others that time never comes, or they simply aren’t interested. Stop pushing your values or expectations on other people, especially those who are developing into adulthood. Stop shaming people over something that’s not your business.
Heres a reminder for you that being dissociated isn’t limited to the common misconception where you are frozen in place, incapable of doing anything or even thinking, or experiencing a significant time gap,, those things.
And while its hard to spot the milder signs when you’re dissociating, don’t worry i got you covered by bringing awareness, im showing what those signs could look like:
Dazing/blanking out several times
Hands looking weird (depersonalization)
Surroundings also looking weird (derealization)
Feeling detached emotionally, physically, or both
Light-headedness
Less reactive in responding
Forget things more often
Unable to focus or keep concentration straight
When you have multiple of those signs at once, then chances are you are dissociating (extra note that it can also co-occur with derealization/depersonalization). While it can be caused by various factors, i would like to add that it may or may not get worse as time passes and no one wants that thing to snowball until it got too bad (remember, preventing now is better than dealing later) so having a few tips would help:
Grounding (sensory): listening to music, feeling different textures, paying attention to things in your surroundings, trying different fragrant or scents, have some snacks to occupy your senses
Grounding (physically): feel your chest as you breathe, get your body moving to redirect focus, splash some cold water, hold something you can squeeze (such as a stress ball)
Practice being mindful. As it can help you re-anchor back to reality faster, regulate better, building more resilience, increasing awareness of oneself’s state
Sometimes we go do our day without giving a thought that were detached from reality, usually by going autopilot and scrolling through social medias without being aware (well, atleast for me) and forget lots of things while being dysregulated at the end. So by being aware of the mild signs and incorporating grounding skills im sure memory gaps and those funny aftermath stuffs won’t be a problem anymore, have a good day peeps.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that another sign is your hearing feels muffled, that you can hear sounds feel more distant despite close, i thought it could be grouped with the “less reactive” before.
No you cannot fix your entire life at 2am. Go to bed.
You can fix some of it though! By going to bed.
Ever since I read a post saying “don’t trust yourself after 9pm” whenever I find myself spiralling at 2am I check the time, see it’s after 9pm, and remember not to trust myself and just go to sleep. Works wonders. The problems are never as bad in the morning.
calling my lover “mine” but not in the way that my toothbrush or notebook are mine, mine in the way my neighborhood is mine, and also everybody else’s, “mine” like mine to tend to, mine to care for, mine to love. “mine” not like possession but devotion.
