Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by Dissociation?

Generally speaking, the word ‘dissociation’ is often employed as an umbrella term to describe a diverse set of experiences, including but not limited to:

• Feelings of detachment from one’s surroundings (i.e. derealization)
• Feelings of detachment from one’s self (i.e. depersonalisation)
• Out-of-body experiences
• Dissociative amnesia
• Identity confusion

In agreement with widely held views in the field, we view dissociation as a transdiagnostic phenomenon – meaning that it can occur in a variety of mental health conditions as well as people with no ongoing mental health concerns.

Experiences of dissociation can be short-lived and relatively mild, such as day-dreaming, but they can also be more severe, frequent and longer-lasting. These more severe experiences can be highly disruptive to the daily life of the individual and their friends and family.

I think I might be experiencing dissociation. Where can I learn more or find help?

DIS.connected is a group of early-career researchers and therefore we cannot offer clinical advice. However, if you or someone close to you want to learn more or seek help for dissociation, you can find more information at the following websites:

• Unreal Charity
• The Dissociative Initiative
• Coping with Dissociation

If you feel you are in crisis or need help immediately, we urge you to contact your local health services.

What is an Early-Career Researcher (ECR)?

The DIS.connected group is a network of Early-Career Researchers, or ECRs. As a rule of thumb, we define as anything up to 10 years following the award of the PhD. This can include undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as academic and non-academic staff at various stages.

We also recognise that everybody has a different career trajectory, and encourage anyone who considers themselves to be ‘early-career’ and are involved in dissociation research to get in touch with the group.