For years I felt different, disconnected from the world around me. It all started after a traumatic event in my life, but I didn’t understand what I was going through.
I would feel foggy and confused throughout the day, often not able to focus or concentrate on anything in particular. I also had periods of time when nothing would register and it felt like my brain stopped working. On more than one occasion I experienced an out of body feeling where my surroundings felt surreal and far away - like I just wasn’t really there at all.
At first I thought something was wrong with me, that maybe I was just “too weird” or perhaps had some sort of mental illness. Over time however, it became clear these were symptoms of post traumatic dissociation (PTD).
Realizing what was going on allowed me to start seeking help for myself- talking to supportive friends and family members as well as attending therapy sessions regularly. As difficult as it can be to face such difficult emotions head-on, each day getting a little bit better and having a semblance of control back over my life has been instrumental in helping me overcome the challenges of PTD.
Living with post traumatic dissociation can be hard on anyone, but by taking small steps every day to move forward I am doing my best to become who I know myself to be again.