dissociation as survival mechanism

Zoning out? How the body copes.

Dissociation is a survival mechanism
Dissociation is a state. It's a protective mechanism called up by the nervous system when it reaches its maximum capacity to process stimulation (both internally and externally).

Imagine having to interact with people all day and by the end of the day you can't speak another word. You go home to regroup, anxious to get into your latest book. But you can't concentrate. You keep "floating" away into a thoughtless and timeless void. Oddly enough, your favourite book seems boring.

Dissociation caps the keyed up and restless energy underneath. It numbs the body so that one feels less internal distress. It's a good temporary back up plan devised by nature for coping when we feel overwhelmed. But it has its drawbacks.
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[One therapist] likens dissociation to a circuit breaker shutting off when house wiring gets overloaded.