What is Dissociation?

Dissociation is a change in consciousness and awareness. It is common, and everyone can experience an element of dissociation at some point in their day-to-day life, although we may not realize it.

It can be helpful to think about dissociation as being on a spectrum. For example, at the mild end of this spectrum, there could be daydreaming, something we have all done at some point. However, as we move through this spectrum, the experience can become more severe, and we can lose awareness or even consciousness, like what we see in dissociative seizures.

It is important to recognise that dissociation can be quite helpful. For example, when we go through difficult periods in our lives, we may experience mild dissociation that provides us with space and relief from distress, which can be quite soothing and helpful.

However, when dissociation happens frequently to deal with life's challenges, it can quickly become unhelpful. This process repeats over and over to the point that our brain is trained to turn to dissociation even when it is no longer helpful to us. The brain looks for patterns and can develop new habits easily. Over time, Dissociative Seizures become an automatic response that can happen without much prompting.

Although all of us will have some experience of mild dissociation, some people seem to be more prone than others. Not everyone will experience the more severe end of the dissociative spectrum and have Dissociative Seizures when they become distressed.

You can learn more about dissociation by clicking here. 

There are a lot of different names used to describe Dissociative Seizures that mean the same thing. Here are some of the common terms used:

• Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder (NEAD)
• Functional Seizures
• Non-Epileptic Seizures (NES)
• Dissociative Attacks
• Psychogenic attacks/seizures

It is helpful to be aware of the different terms used to describe dissociative seizures as it can be confusing for people trying to find out more about the condition

Dissociative Seizures DO NOT all look the same.

People may have different experiences of Dissociative Seizures.

The symptoms people experience can vary a lot.

Remember, if your Dissociative Seizures are different from other people's, this does not mean that your diagnosis is wrong.

People are encouraged to understand their own experience of Dissociative Seizures and develop their own way of coping.

Dissociative Seizures are common.

1 in 10 people suspected to have Epilepsy are diagnosed with Dissociative Seizures after seeing a neurologist.

Dissociative Seizures can affect people of all age groups and genders.

Dissociative Seizures can affect anyone.

Dissociative Seizures occur in all parts of the world affecting people of all cultures and age groups.

Dissociative seizures may occur in people with or without other physical or mental health illness.

People can have a diagnosis of Epilepsy AND Dissociative Seizures 

Dissociative Seizures DO NOT cause damage to your brain OR stop you from breathing.

Dissociative Seizures CAN result in injury to other parts of the body as a result of collapse, falls, and/or shaking.

Dissociative Seizures can have a significant impact on people’s life, including:

• Loss of independence
• Loss of employment and income opportunities
• Loss of a driving license
• Absences from school, college, and university
• Difficult relationships
• Poor mental health
• Poor physical health
• Reduced access to hobbies and important activities

People can often struggle with the impact dissociative seizures have on their lives. This can lead to people feeling a range of emotions, e.g., angry, sad, anxious, fearful, which can stop people from living their everyday life.