What is Dissociation?
This blog article includes a shortened transcript of Eleanor Bramwell’s webinar: “What is Dissociation?”, featuring Livia Adia Budrys. For the full presentation, you may access the webinar recording below.
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In our discussion, Eleanor Bramwell, SEP, BCSI delved into the intricate workings of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which plays a pivotal role in regulating our responses to stress and safety signals. We went over the three primary branches of the ANS: ventral, sympathetic, and dorsal.
The ventral aspect embodies feelings of safety, connection, and relaxation, laying the groundwork for understanding how our nervous system reacts to different situations. On the flip side, the sympathetic branch kicks in the body's fight-or-flight response, gearing us up for action in perceived threatening scenarios. It's like our body's internal alarm system, ready to respond to danger at a moment's notice.
The dorsal branch, which can trigger a shutdown response when the perceived threat overwhelms our fight-or-flight capacity. This survival mechanism can manifest through dissociation, where we disconnect from our body and emotions to shield ourselves from pain or trauma.
Reflecting on dissociation, Eleanor shared, "It's like the body's way of saying, 'This is too much for me to handle right now,' and creating a protective barrier." While effective in the short term, prolonged dissociation can stall emotional processing and leave us feeling disconnected from life's experiences.
The startle response is another dissociative reflex, where sudden stimuli provokes exaggerated reactions due to trapped energy in the nervous system. "It's like my body's way of saying, 'I'm still on high alert,'" which shows the importance of releasing this pent-up energy for emotional well-being.
In closing, Eleanor highlighted the significance of understanding the dynamics of the nervous system and adopting practices to regulate its responses. By doing so, we can enhance our ability to manage stress, nurture emotional resilience, and lead more fulfilling lives.
