Dissociation is a mental state where a person becomes disconnected from their usual sense of self, their emotions, their memories, or their surroundings.
Dissociation allows your brain to take a step back and cope with stress. It’s something that happens to nearly everyone, and it’s not always dramatic, either. Daydreaming, for instance, or simply zoning out during a conversation, are both mild and harmless forms of dissociation.
As you learn more about near-death experiences (or “NDEs”), you’ll inevitably encounter the word “dissociation” from time to time. It comes up somewhat regularly in discussions and articles regarding NDEs. But what is dissociation in this context? And how is it related to NDEs?
What is dissociation? And how is it different from dissociative disorders?
So what is dissociation in terms of a more clinical setting? Psychologists often define it as a disruption in the normal integration of a person’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, perceptions, and identity. In other words, your inner experience becomes fragmented, like the pieces are all still there, but they’re not quite fitting together as they usually would.
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When do people dissociate?
Mild dissociation is a perfectly normal and healthy process that allows your brain to occasionally take a break. Sometimes, your brain is simply processing too much information at once and needs a moment to chill out.
Daydreaming in class is a great example of mild dissociation. It’s not necessarily that you’re learning too much or that the topic is boring. You’re just processing a lot of stuff, which may or may not involve the subject matter itself. Your brain is constantly examining and analyzing everything around you, and at times, that can get tiresome.
Some people experience dissociation as a part of religious or spiritual practices, such as prayer or meditation. It’s also common for people to dissociate as a result of alcohol or substance use, and it’s a known side effect of some medications.
Dissociation can also happen at times of significant trauma or duress. In these cases, it becomes a coping mechanism that attempts to separate you from that stressful experience. Even then, it’s not necessarily a sign of mental illness. Dissociation exists on a spectrum, ranging from common, everyday lapses like highway hypnosis to serious mental health conditions known as dissociative disorders.
What are the four types of dissociative disorders?
There are four dissociative disorders commonly discussed in psychological literature, though only three are formally recognized in the DSM-5 (the diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals). The fourth is a broader category used for related cases that don’t fully match the primary three.
While this isn’t especially related to near-death experiences, you might find it interesting. So let’s just take a quick look at each dissociative disorder. You can follow the included links if you’re interested in learning more:
- Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): Formerly known as “multiple personality disorder”, DID involves the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states that take control of a person’s behavior at different times. It’s typically linked to severe trauma, particularly in early life. Read more.
- Dissociative Amnesia: This disorder involves sudden memory loss that goes beyond normal forgetfulness. A person might be unable to recall important personal information, often as the result of trauma or stress. Read more.
- Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder: People with this disorder often feel detached from themselves (depersonalization) or from the world around them (derealization). Despite these strange, surreal sensations, they usually remain aware that something feels off. Read more.
- Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD): A sort of catch-all diagnosis used when dissociative symptoms cause significant distress or disruption but don’t meet the full criteria for the other disorders. It allows clinicians to acknowledge dissociative symptoms that may not fit neatly into one category, while still offering treatment and support. Read more.
Why is dissociation commonly brought up with regards to near-death experiences?
At face value, it almost seems like near-death experiences and dissociation have a lot of similarities. Feeling detached from your body, removed from your surroundings, or observing reality from a different vantage point? That all sounds like an NDE, or even just an out-of-body experience.
Due to these similarities, some skeptics attempt to dismiss NDEs as a type of extreme dissociative episode, or dissociation mixed with hallucination or oxygen deprivation. But to be clear, dissociation and NDEs are entirely not the same thing.
The people who’ve had NDEs describe them as more vivid and emotionally profound than anything they’ve ever felt, some even going so far as to say it felt more real than waking life. They recall their experiences with remarkable clarity for years or even decades afterward. And that’s not typical of dissociation, which is often associated with foggy memory, emotional numbness, or disorientation.
Another key difference can be found in what happens after an NDE or a dissociative event. Dissociative episodes don’t typically bring about lasting personal transformations, shifts in values, or reduced fear of death. And all of these are common aftereffects of near-death experiences.
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Bottom line: Are NDEs just dissociation?
While dissociation can be involved in certain aspects of a near-death experience, it’s not scientifically accurate to claim near-death experiences are significantly defined by dissociation. NDEs are not dissociative episodes or primarily dissociative in nature.
It’s also worth noting that we don’t yet fully understand what causes near-death experiences. But we do know they can happen to literally anyone, regardless of mental or physical health conditions, education level, or any immutable characteristics (race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.). NDEs are not directly linked with dissociative disorders.
There’s still a great deal we don’t understand about near-death experiences. What we can say emphatically, however, is that there is no simple answer to how or why NDEs occur. This is still considered an emerging field of medical science, and it’s impossible to predict when we might find all of the answers.
One thing we can tell you is that IANDS will continue researching NDEs and related experiences, advancing educational resources, and playing an active role in normalizing conversations on the subject of NDEs and near-death science. And there are lots of ways you can get involved, too!
- Making a tax-deductible donation to our educational nonprofit
- Joining IANDS
- Browsing our online shop
- Sharing your NDE story with us
- Attend an IANDS Conference
