17, finland

how to tell if they are dissociating

- non-focused, “zoned out” - doesnt reply to comments, or replies very half-heartedly - eyes arent focused - doesnt seem to notice anything going on around them - repeats doing or saying the same things over and over - forgets what they said or did, whether in the last few minutes or the last few days

things you can do to help

- get them to a quiet, calm place - ask them very basic questions: “are you okay?” “how are you feeling?” “is there anything you need from me right now?” - help them recount the events theyve forgotten, whether in the last few minutes or last few weeks - walk them through what is going on, tell them, if you can, that you think that theyre dissociating - if you can, keep an eye on them and look out for things they might miss, ie: crossing the street, accidentally bumping into something, receiving important information - sometimes showing them funny stuff or having them read an article or something after doing the previous steps helps