Stimulation and Dissociation in Modern Times
These days, celebrities share publicly about going to therapy, and mental health issues are normal topics in social media, so awareness of the concept that difficult past events are responsible for bad feelings in the present is common knowledge. Why, then, is it difficult for people to make the connection between present-day triggers and past traumas? Lack of education about psychology is obviously a factor, and so is simply not wanting to acknowledge what happened. But I think another big reason is that we are dissociated from those difficult experiences due to the highly stimulating nature of modern life.
Dissociation is the phenomenon wherein unwanted sensations, emotions, or memories are separated from conscious awareness. Similar to somatization, it’s a convenient “solution” to surviving in life because it allows us to keep functioning when these feelings would otherwise bother or overwhelm us. There is a device called Buzzy that helps children tolerate injections at a doctor’s office. The device is placed on the child’s arm, where it vibrates intensely. The stimulation from the device desensitizes the area where the shot will be given, causing the child to feel almost no pain from the shot. (Did you know about this when you were a child? Me neither. Oh well.)
In a similar way, people today stimulate ourselves with sensory input from a wide range of sources, with the effect of desensitizing us to our deeper emotions. News, the internet, TV, and social media; alcohol, caffeine, and other substances; sitting in traffic; and of course, staring at a screen for 8 hours at work, are all forms of sensory stimulation that desensitize us and allow us to stay dissociated from our trauma.
However, being dissociated doesn’t get rid of the effects of trauma, just the awareness of the trauma itself. The effects, such as feeling angry, sad, anxious, or empty, still bother us. Sometimes we can find a convenient scapegoat for them, such as work, our spouse, or finances, but those are merely triggers, not the source of the problem.
So if you’ve ever spent the day scrolling, working, driving, and snacking, only to feel bad towards the end of the day without knowing why, take a moment before you reach for that drink or flip on the TV. Perhaps there’s something inside you that needs attention. Talk to a friend, do some journaling, or spend some time meditating.
If you’re able to find the trauma you’ve been dissociating from, congratulations. You are doing what most people do not. Once you find the source of your distress, you have many options for dealing with it. You can use compensation methods like exercise, reframing, or gratitude, which can offset the effects of trauma as long as you keep doing them. If you want to resolve it permanently, you can find a practitioner to help you heal the trauma. I offer powerful healing over Zoom using cutting-edge techniques. I’d be honored to support you.
Recognizing the connection between dissociation and trauma is a crucial first step toward healing. While it’s easy to distract ourselves with the busyness and stimulation of modern life, true relief comes from addressing the underlying issues. Whether you choose to manage the symptoms or heal the trauma at its core, the path to well-being is within your reach. If you’re ready to explore deeper healing and reclaim your emotional health, I’m here to help. Together, we can work toward lasting peace and clarity.
