PTSD Dissociation: Why It Happens and What Helps
- Jen Meller
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Dissociation can feel like slipping away from the world — like you’re in the room without really being there. It’s disorienting and lonely, and it often shows up without warning. After trauma, the body learns to protect itself by shutting down or disconnecting when things feel too intense. It’s a survival mechanism, but over time it can make it hard to feel present, connected, or even real.
It’s not always easy to recognize dissociation when it’s happening. For a long time, it may just have felt like zoning out or feeling emotionally numb. But when it keeps happening — especially during stressful moments — it becomes clear that this is the body’s way of coping with overwhelm. That realization can help shift some of the frustration toward compassion. The body isn’t broken, it’s just trying to keep things manageable.
What we will cover in this blog:
Understanding Dissociation and PTSD
Dissociation can show up in so many different ways. Sometimes it feels like floating outside the body, watching life from a distance. Other times, it’s more like emotional numbness — being physically present but not really feeling connected to anything. It can also make time feel strange, like parts of the day are missing or blurred together.
With PTSD, dissociation often gets triggered when the body senses danger, even if nothing is actually wrong. The nervous system has learned to protect itself by checking out when things feel too overwhelming. It’s a survival response, and it makes sense. When fight or flight isn’t an option, the body’s next best move is to freeze or shut down.
There’s nothing wrong with the body for doing this — it’s doing exactly what it’s built to do. Recognizing this can be powerful. Instead of feeling frustrated or ashamed about dissociation, it’s possible to start gently shifting that response.
How Somatic Healing Supports Dissociation and PTSD
Reconnecting with the body after trauma can feel like a big ask — especially when the body has learned that feeling is dangerous. But somatic healing isn’t about forcing anything. It’s about creating small, manageable experiences of safety and connection.
Starting small helps. Feeling the texture of clothing, noticing the weight of a blanket, or sensing the breath moving in and out — those small moments of connection helped rebuild trust with the body. If there have been times when even that felt like too much, that’s okay. The goal isn’t to push through discomfort but to meet the body where it is, with patience and care.
Over time, those small, gentle moments add up. The nervous system starts to learn that it’s possible to feel present and safe at the same time. Noticing the warmth of sunlight on the skin or the sensation of feet pressing into the floor become signals that it’s safe to stay connected.
Practices to Navigate Dissociation
When dissociation shows up, there’s no perfect way to handle it, but there are some approaches that might help:
Noticing physical sensations – Bringing attention to the feeling of breath, the texture of clothing, or the contact of hands resting on the lap can help create a sense of connection.
Orienting to the environment – Looking around the room, noticing shapes, colors, and textures can help the body register that the present moment is safe.
Gentle movement – Rocking, stretching, or swaying can help shift the nervous system out of freeze mode and into a state of connection.
Tracking internal signals – Tuning into what feels good or even neutral in the body — like the feeling of breath moving or warmth in the hands — can help rebuild trust with bodily sensations.
These practices aren’t about doing it "right." Some days they might work, other days they might not — and that’s okay. The body knows what it needs. The goal isn’t to stop dissociation altogether but to create enough safety that the body doesn’t need to shut down as often.
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Healing from PTSD and dissociation isn’t about fixing anything, it’s about creating the conditions where the body feels safe enough to reconnect. It’s a process, and it doesn’t need to happen all at once. There’s no right pace for this work — the body knows its own timing.
Small moments of connection — feeling the sun on the skin, noticing the breath, hearing the sound of a familiar voice — those are the building blocks of healing. The body has its own wisdom. Trusting that wisdom, even when it feels hard, is part of the process. Healing isn’t about pushing through, it’s about allowing the body to find its way back in its own time.
