The Lord of Indolence arises when energy is blocked, and where it is beginning to stagnate. This is, obviously, a nasty and potentially dangerous situation which must be addressed if it is to be cleared out of the way. You may, though, feel tired and apathetic about challenging issues which seem too big or too stubborn to deal with.If you are currently feeling quite trapped by life, then today is a day where you can make a profound difference to the way things around you are affecting you. Target one area which is taking more energy from you than it gives back. Think through your reactions and responses to this situation. Consider whether you’re tending to slide a bit toward feeling like a victim – don’t judge this, just consider it. If you judge something that sensitive, you will become defensive, and therefore be unable to tackle the problem properly.If you, after analysis, decide that you are contributing to the difficulty, then you have it in your power to simply refuse to worsen it with a negative attitude. Tackle the affirmation with great gusto! That should shift your own blockages.If, on reflection, you feel that the problem is not yours, but somebody else’s, the first thing you need to do is refuse to react by giving more energy. Just stop. For this day, refuse to play the game. And do the affirmation! That should cause some shift, if only in your own approach.Finally, if you feel you do not have any major problems today, then consider the whole energy exchange that is the sum total of your life. Assess things realistically. Ensure that there are no areas of leakage. If there are, then consider what you can do. If there aren’t, congratulate yourself for living your life in accordance with the dance of the Universe!!
Affirmation: “My energy is the energy of the Universe. My power is my own.”
President Trump shared an outlandish conspiracy theory on social media on Saturday night saying former President Joseph R. Biden had been “executed in 2020” and replaced by a robotic clone, the latest example of the president amplifying dark, false material to his millions of followers.
Mr. Trump reposted a fringe rant that another user had made on the president’s social media platform, Truth Social, just after 10 p.m. on Saturday. The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the post about Mr. Biden, whom Mr. Trump has targeted for criticism almost daily since the start of his second term.
The president has blamed Mr. Biden for all manner of societal ills and assailed his mental acuity, including with the specious theory that Mr. Biden’s aides used an autopen to enact policies and issue pardons without Mr. Biden’s knowledge. (Mr. Trump has acknowledged that his administration uses the autopen system on occasion.)
Mr. Trump has long had a penchant for sharing debunked or baseless theories online, but his embrace of conspiracies is not limited to social media. He has also elevated false claims inside the White House and surrounded himself with cabinet officials promoting such theories.
Last month, while sitting next to the president of South Africa in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump claimed that white South African farmers were victims of mass killings and displayed an image intended to back up his assertion; the image was actually of the conflict in eastern Congo. Mr. Trump has falsely asserted that white South Africans are victims of genocide, even though police statistics do not show that white people in the nation are any more vulnerable than other groups.
Mr. Trump’s first four years in the White House were filled with false or misleading statements — according to one tally, he made 30,573 of them, or 21 a day on average — and he repeatedly shared conspiracy theories in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
A New York Times analysis of thousands of Mr. Trump’s social media posts and reposts over a six-month period in 2024 found that at least 330 of them described both a false, secretive plot against Mr. Trump or the American people and a specific entity supposedly responsible for it. They included suggestions that the F.B.I. had ordered his assassination and accusations that government officials had orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Mr. Trump’s repost of the robot conspiracy theory came a day after Mr. Biden told reporters that he was feeling good after beginning treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Mr. Trump has suggested that Mr. Biden’s diagnosis last month was not new and had been concealed from the public.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a White House correspondent for The Times, covering President Trump and his administration.
This article is about the descriptor for someone with high empathy. For the comic book character, see Empath (character). For other uses, see Empath (disambiguation).
A request that this article title be changed to Empath (parapsychology) is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed.
Empath (/ˈɛmpæθ/; from Ancient Greekἐμπάθ(εια) (empáth(eia)) ‘passion’) is a term for people who have a higher than usual level of empathy.
In parapsychology, the mechanism for being an empath is said to be psychic channeling; psychics and mediums say that they channel the emotional states and experiences of other living beings, or the spirits of dead people, in the form of “emotional resonance“. Studies of such claims have found them to be the result of mundane empathy and charisma, with no actual supernatural capabilities involved.[1]
Paranormal usage
The term’s paranormal usage flows mostly from the work of American psychiatristJudith Orloff. Orloff uses the term to describe people who have an innate ability to read the emotional state of others. She believes that empaths are able to sense the thoughts, feelings and energy of those around them, and that they are able to use this ability to provide healing or comfort to others, if they manage their condition correctly.[2] Orloff’s work is controversial, as she says that she is a clairvoyant (psychic);[3][4] her definition and classification of types of empaths is neither recognized by mainstreampsychiatry nor is it included in the DSM-5. For her part, Orloff believes her psychiatric colleagues to be “stuck in the Dark Ages”.[5]
Two studies focused on such claims of telepathy have found them to be the result of mundane empathy and charisma, not supernatural capabilities.[1]
Having recently written two articles on the topic of Narcissism and Egocentrism, I told myself I thought it would be good to balance things out and start writing something on its polarity.
So this article’s focal point is the empath, or the empathic structure.
I always recognised a lot of myself in the definition of an empath even though for many years I didn’t know much about it. So it has been a great opportunity to learn about myself first and now finding pleasure in my ability and platform to share it with others.
There are several common traits unifying empathic people, one of which is the commonly associated personality trait, empathy. Empathy is defined as a sign of emotional intelligence and emotional ability to understand other people’s feelings as if they were one’s own. Empathy is the act of putting ourselves in other people’s shoes and reaching our hearts out to others.
It’s worth noting that empathy is not the same as sympathy, which is more an act of pitying or feeling sorry for another. As the Dalai Lama says, “Empathy is the most precious human quality”. It allows us to keep our hearts open to love and nurture our acceptance and understanding of ourselves and others. In my opinion, it is the most important value that our society needs to foster and focus on today. According to Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, it is a predominant characteristic in individuals found to have high EQ’s.
People with high empathy, or empaths, are praised and valued in society for obvious reasons. But we often neglect the ‘dark side’ of an empath. An empath is the direct opposite of a narcissist in that they are extremely sensitive to the emotions and energy of others. But this can sometimes backfire on an empath, as they also tend to struggle standing up for themselves or recognising what is best for them. As Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and an empath herself put it: “The trademark of an empath is feeling and absorbing other people’s emotions and/or physical symptoms because of their high sensitivities”.
Empaths are people who are extremely aware of the emotions around them. To an empath, it doesn’t just feel like “being aware” or others feelings… their experience is one of actually absorbing other people’s emotions as though they were their own. Furthermore, when overwhelmed with the impact of challenging or relentless emotions, empaths can very easily begin to experience depression, fatigue, apathy, panic attacks or fall into addictive behaviours using food, sex or drugs. As Andre Solo, co-founder of Highly Sensitive Refuge, affirmed, “For empaths, this ability is both a gift and a curse. It can be hard because most of the time empaths feel that they cannot ‘turn it off’, or it takes them years to develop ways to ‘turn it down’ when needed. As a result, an empath can find themselves going from perfectly happy to overwhelmed with stress, anxiety or other feelings, simply because someone else walked into the room. At the same time, an empath’s ability to absorb feelings is their greatest strength. It allows them to understand others and connect deeply with them. It’s also what makes them extraordinary caretakers, friends and partners – especially when others understand and appreciate their gift.”
I remember a time when my ex husband and I individually took a famous personality test that a couples counsellor had recommended. Once completed, we were asked to overlap the two separate tests to merge the results. This way we could recognise our similar and opposite traits. What we found was surprising for both of us and the counsellor: my spouse was at the higher limit of the indifference spectrum and I found myself on the opposite end, as a highly sensitive person. Today I recognise that I have an empathic structure.
This was back in 2006. At that time, a lot of information was still not as readily available online as it is now. I didn’t realise that a result that high on the empathic spectrum meant I was lacking safe boundaries and needed to learn how to protect myself in many areas of my life, including with myself.
Today, having studied and trained on the subject, I’m far more aware of what it means. This awareness has had a huge impact on my life, and allowed me to learn and integrate many lessons over the 26 years of my marriage and the subsequent long years that followed my divorce.
All my life I had been living as an emotional sponge. Too often I’d give away so much, too much, without any limitation and to anyone, be it my husband, daughter, mum, dad, friend or colleague. I would take on everyone’s pain without even realising it. There were times when I would actually sense it in my body and the consequence of that was this relentless need to try and fix, help and save people from their feelings and pain. I couldn’t help it, it was a true compulsion that I was totally unaware of. One that was in truth fulfilling a deep, unconscious need to be seen and recognised.
Interestingly enough, when my psychotherapist suggested I explore and dive into counselling and coaching as a profession, it gripped me immediately. For the first time, I had a deep interest in what I was doing and a real passion for my profession.
In delving into this new profession, I learnt so much more about the consequences of my extreme empathy. Having been so unable to set boundaries with and for myself and other, I didn’t understand what loving authentically really meant. I was feeling, sensing and loving everyone around me, my husband, daughter, friends and clients but rarely asked myself how that was impacting me. I was the opposite of a narcissistic personality and though much of society would see this overwhelming love and self-sacrifice as ‘altruism’, what it really was, was too much love. In reality, when we feel and love too much we’re not really feeling or loving at all.
Too much, or excessive love, giving and feeling, has nothing to do with real empathy. They are more reactions to feeling sympathy. We believe that we are givers, therefore good, altruistic people that must help, give, love and feel for others to alleviate their pain or struggle. But we’re deceiving ourselves. We think we’re loving, generous and selfless, but when it’s too much, we are not manifesting the authentic sense of these words. Fooled by a society that values and reveres love and altruism, we are kept in the dark about the less positive aspects of being an empath. As an emotional sponge, an empath can take on others’ heavy burdens and responsibilities without even realising it, without even being asked to.
The consequences of being an ‘under the radar’ empath can be subtle but immense. An empath can in fact put themselves in risky situations and/or become invasive for others around. For example, an empath might not see how they’re not giving their children space to grow into independent and authentic adults. Or they might impede their spouse to grow and expand according to their own rhythm and willingness. The empath can dominate or suffocate a partner with their too much sensing and feeling, trying to fix, help and save without being asked or required to do so. Unaware of this damaging side, the empath can be a powerful emotional manipulator or blackmailer, much like their narcissistic counterpart. In fact, neither one is better than the other, both a narcissist and an empath have their shortcomings because the truth is they exist at the extremes of a spectrum.
Since I was a teen, I always played the empath role, the one who feels too much, loves too much, gives too much to others and very rarely to themselves. The one who, through their excessive love, attention, giving to others, was often deliberately controlling other people’s lives at the expense of their own needs. Although, I’d receive some recognition and approval from all this too much, I never gave to myself or filled my own cup, busy juggling the woes of the world. This left me hospitalised twice from total burn out.
When I finally recognised the empath within me, I chose to begin a journey of self-transformation. It’s been a long and challenging journey, I admit, partly because I didn’t fully understand what it meant to have an empathic structure until after my divorce. It was only in solitude that I was able to observe myself and learn more about this trait of mine.
Today, I’m grateful to find myself in a different, balanced space. I’ve learnt over time to “turn off” my high sensitivity to others’ feelings and needs and even go so far as be emotionally distant, if that’s what I need to protect myself or care for myself. I consciously choose to allow others to be free to be who they really want or decide to be, feel and behave. In this way I can practice true authenticity with myself and then others, without acting out of fear of losing, hurting, displeasing, abandoning, rejecting or betraying. I have chosen to nurture a deeper level of emotional intelligence that allows me to access a balanced and healthy level of empathy.
Being an authentic empath means being sensitive to others’ needs without neglecting our own. It means being responsible for our own emotions, in a healthy, selfish way, and letting go of emotional responsibilities that are not ours. It means allowing others to be emotionally responsible for their own feelings (which is highly relevant when it comes to being a parent and watching our children grow up and go through their emotional growing pains).
I don’t mean to suggest that an empath should not be sensitive to the emotional needs of others. It means that we can still be highly sensitive without entering the trap of over-loving, over-giving and taking on others’ burdens. To achieve this balanced empathy, we need to let go of deep-rooted toxic conditioning and embrace a new way of living, no matter how uncomfortable at first.
Over time, behaviours and traits can become habitual, so it might feel counter-intuitive or selfish to change your behaviours at first. But with practice, persistence, patience and self-compassion, you can change the way in which you express your empathy so that it doesn’t become damaging for yourself or others. According to Dr. Orloff, “Empaths can also learn to centre themselves so that they don’t feel too much or become overloaded”.
As we’ve touched upon, empaths can be prone to burnout if we don’t know how to set boundaries with others and ourselves and take time to recharge. On the one hand, our emotional openness and sensitives can help others to feel safe and so we are able to build profound connections with others. On the other hand, we need to know how to manage the stress and consequences of taking on too much of others’ stuff.
Vulnerabilities of an Unaware / Unbalance Empath
Empaths have a strong awareness of the negative and heavy burdens in the world – this makes us extra vulnerable to the toxicity that exists in the world.
Empaths are intuitively knowledgable about human experience and relationships with people can often make them feel overloaded with and responsible for emotions which are not their own.
Empaths can struggle to remain focused as a result of their highly sensitive nature. Empaths are usually capable of noticing all the details and nuances around them, which disperses their attention significantly.
How to Recognise If We Are Empaths / Highly Sensitive People
In her book, The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, Dr. Orloff offers a list of traits that empathic people share.
I’ve summarised them here alongside additions from my own research and experience:
Empaths are highly sensitive.In order to be healthy and in balance in their life, they need to be firm and focused in their new way of living.
Empaths, like sponges, absorb other people’s moods.When around peace and love, they flourish. Being around negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, fear and depression can deplete them.
Empaths are highly intuitive.For them it is relevant to learn to listen to their own gut feelings about people and situations.
Empaths need alone time.As empaths are often strongly affected by the emotions and moods of other people, they need a lot of time alone to regain their energy and centre. Solitude is a great way of maintaining overall wellbeing.
Often, empaths are introverted.When an empath is more extroverted, they may benefit from limiting how much time they spend with people so that they can recharge themselves.
Deep down, empaths are afraid of losing their identity when in relationships.They may avoid intimate relationships because of their tendency to take on others’ ‘stuff’.
For empaths to be at ease in a relationship, the traditional paradigm for being a couple must be redefined and they must practice self-awareness and being present.Often empaths are targets for energy vampires.Especially dangerous are the ones such as narcissists, who lack empathy and are focused on themselves: they can make empaths believe they are not worthy of love and sabotage their confidence and self-esteem.
Empaths replenish themselves in nature.The busyness of everyday life can become too much for the empath. They can take refuge in the presence of the ocean or forest. I recognise myself in this very much, for it is by recharging in nature that I have been able to stay away from burning out.
Empaths have highly tuned senses.
Empaths, especially if extroverted, have huge hearts and more often then not, they give too much.
Empaths are big-hearted people and try to relieve the the pain of others: a distraught friend, a hurt child, a homeless person etc. They don’t merely offer support to ease the pain of the suffering people, they take it on as if it belonged to themselves.
Final Words
Empaths’ ‘dark side’ is painful to carry. By taking on board others’ negative emotions, empaths often tend to forget their own needs and carry burdens that aren’t theirs on their shoulders throughout their lives.
Helping others while you have your own problems is totally exhausting, especially if you’re an empath. As they’re able to sense other people’s feelings, it is little surprise that they can feel drained and exhausted after a day at work. After enough time passes, burn out seems inevitable.
The main thing to take home from this article is that coping with the issues of others is not an obligation or duty. To prevent our empathy from become unhealthy, one should try not to give all of themselves to every single person that they encounter in their day to day lives. Empaths should also let go of the walls that they have built over time because of negative experiences. Only by healing, rebuilding trust, paying more attention to themselves and being more attentive of whom they spend their energy with and on, can empaths finally allow their authentic selves do real good in their lives and others.
Coach / Counsellor Suggestions
If you are an empath, the first step is to acknowledge that you are.
Be responsible for yourself – true responsibility is not a duty, it is the ability to respond to what you have in front of you.
Take action – choose to look for the support or a well prepared coach or counsellor with experience in emotional management and EQ.
Nurture willingness, focus, self-discipline and self-compassion, acknowledging that this is a journey and not a quick fix. Be patient with yourself.
Use visualisation, movement, gratitude, mindfulness and prayer as a part of your daily routine.
Enjoy the ride with fun and joy in your heart!
A Personal Note:
As an empath myself, married to a narcissist for many many years and unconsciously becoming the ‘aggressor’ on occasion towards myself, my daughter and others in order to protect myself and survive, I had to first spend time in counselling and training to de-condition myself from my childhood family conditioning and entanglements.
I then had to study and understand the narcissistic and empathic structures in real depth, honestly recognising them in others and myself too. I had to learn to observe and take care of myself, to be healthily selfish and less over-altruistic. I had to educate myself on the true meaning of self-love and self-care and had to rebuild my self-esteem from scratch.
Today I have a daily routine that keeps me grounded and use several tools to protect my deep sensitivity, such as firm time management when I am with someone who I might recognise to be unhealthy for me (be they manipulative, narcissistic etc). I must set healthy boundaries with people I find draining and of course, with myself too (we are our own worst enemy after all). I practice a daily mindfulness practice to centre myself and slow down the thinking – action process. And I deliberately and regularly choose to spend time in nature as often as I can.
After acknowledging the curse that accompanies the empathic structure I was born with and after transforming the compulsive and unhealthy consequences that followed allowing it to run wild, I was finally able to see the blessing in disguise, the silver lining, and feel thankful for the gift of being an empath.
We must remember that as empaths we have special needs and we need special care from ourselves, to ourselves. If it so happens that you recognise yourself in the above, as an empath, it’s important to honour the empath in you first and then to learn to recognise your special needs, whilst possibly deciding to clearly communicate them to your loved ones.
If what I’ve written has resonated with you and you think I could be the right support for you, feel free to get in touch and schedule a Free 30 Minute Consultation by clicking the button below.
► Elisabetta Franzoso is a multi continental Life and Wellness Coach practicing between Barcelona, London, Milan and Singapore where she has many loyal clients.
► Elisabetta empowers men and women to master their mind, body and personal relationships through renewing their confidence and building a sense of wellness. She does this through her unique Coaching In 4 Dimensions framework which takes into account the physical, emotional, intellectual and relational aspects of humanity.
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In the middle is Christine Jorgensen, I believe she went to Denmark to start HRT then eventually went through a series of surgeries. She eventually came back to the states and obtained a vaginoplasty under the supervision of endocrinologist and sexologist, Harry Benjamin, who I believe is the gentleman to the left in the photo. And my grandmother is on the right, she was responsible for Christine‘s postoperative care. Pretty neat to be tethered to something historical like this. Anyway, HAPPY PRIDE and be safe!
“[I want my legacy to be] that I hung in there. That I didn’t say, ‘I can’t.’ I had a Spartan upbringing, but I thank [my mother] for it. It made me strong. My mother said, ‘You can.’ She didn’t say, ‘You poor, little colored child, you can’t do anything.’ She said, ‘You can.’”
—DOROTHY WEST
Dorothy West (June 2, 1907 – August 16, 1998) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and magazine editor associated with the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement in the 1920s and 1930s that celebrated black art, literature, and music. Wikipedia
“Just do good for others, without thinking of making yourself known to gain reward. Bring benefit to others, gaining nothing for yourself. This is the primary requisite for breaking free of attachments to the self.”
Dogen (1200-1253) Japanese Buddhist Priest
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DAILY REFLECTION BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SCHOOL OF PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY
The Lord of Oppression can be a tricky influence, because it indicates blocked energy and thwarted Will – both of these can work against us in our lives, causing frustration and confusion.Very often the reason that this situation arises is because we are unable to clearly communicate our feelings on a given topic, to somebody who has strong influence over our lives. We repress our inmost needs and, instead, present a bland and safe mask to the outside world.So on a day ruled by this card, there are certain processes you need to go through in order to work out what the problem is. First of all, consider whether this is a fleeting effect which will pass tomorrow or the next day. If so, then the chances are that regular use of the affirmation will clear your path.However, if you find that you’ve been feeling a bit frustrated for a while, today is the day to get to grips with that. Isolate the things that you really wish you could tell people around you who matter. Then consider why you might not be speaking your mind.There can be many reasons for this – some of them useful and others damaging. Work out whether your silence is serving you well or ill. For instance, it’s not usually a very good idea to tell your boss that some of his habits drive you insane with frustration 😉 If you discover that you do have unexpressed feelings in a situation where it would not be wise to express yourself out loud, then write everything down, and then vent your annoyance by ripping the paper up into several tiny pieces (don’t go directing it at the person.just at the habit, action or event). That should get some of your irritation out of your system!!If you cannot express your feelings because you’re prevented by circumstance – you are out of touch with the person concerned; you’re angry and frustrated about a world event; there seems to be no possible route to the people you need to talk to… the paper trick could work well again. Or alternatively, visualise the person/people you need to speak with, and then tell them exactly how you feel. This act can have a quirky effect in that it often produces a response from the person on the other side of the discussion!And if, finally, you are not expressing yourself openly because you feel that you do not want to do this, you need to consider why. Are you scared of your reception? Are you worried about upsetting somebody? Are you standing on your pride? Or do you simply see no point in expending the energy?If you’re scared of your reception… well considering the frustration that may be building up – perhaps this is a good moment to feel the fear and do it anyway. If you are worried about upsetting somebody, remember.inadvertently perhaps.they are upsetting you. You can express your truth without being unpleasant if you consider what you’re going to say.If you’re standing on your pride, I expect you’ll have to see whether you think doing that is worth causing you this much irritation. And if you cannot see the point, try the visualisation technique to free yourself from repression, or talk the situation through with a friend. Or write it all down and think it over. One of these will work!! .
Affirmation: “I release all repression so my Will flows freely.”
“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.”
― Edward Hopper
Edward Hopper (July 22, 1882 – May 15, 1967) was an American realism painter and printmaker. He is one of America’s most renowned artists and known for his skill in depicting modern American life and landscapes. Born in Nyack, New York, to a middle-class family, Hopper’s early interest in art was supported by his parents. Wikipedia
New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove Jun 1, 2025 James Tunney, LLM, is an Irish barrister who has lectured on legal matters throughout the world. He is a poet, artist, scholar, novelist, and author of The Mystery of the Trapped Light: Mystical Thoughts in the Dark Age of Scientism plus The Mystical Accord: Sutras to Suit Our Times, Lines for Spiritual Evolution; also Empire of Scientism: The Dispiriting Conspiracy and Inevitable Tyranny of Scientocracy, TechBondAge: Slavery of the Human Spirit, Human Entrance to Transhumanism: Machine Merger and the End of Humanity, and Plantation of the Automatons, Mystic Murmuration, The Mythic Aim of AI: Maiming the Mind, and AI-Posthumanism: A Cryptic Soap Opera. His most recent book is AI-Govnerveance: Care and Possession in Dustopia. His website is https://www.jamestunney.com/ Here he focuses on the implications of nanotechnology and artificial intelligence if used for the purpose of controlling human beings in a near-robotic manner. He warns that humanity is at risk of seeing such challenging developments emerge in the coming decade, and will extend its reach inside our bodies. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:08 Total control of the human being 00:10:06 Nanotechnology and “smart dust” 00:20:28 Materialism and atomism 00:28:09 Damage to the human soul 00:40:33 Human freedom to rebel 00:46:53 Abusive forms of caring 00:55:30 Achieving balance 01:06:19 Spirituality within religion 01:15:13 Final thoughts and conclusion New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. He currently serves as Co-Director of Parapsychology Education at the California Institute for Human Science. (Recorded on April 19, 2025)
Many people have a skewed understanding of what dissociative disorders and dissociation are. The reason for this is that there has long been a stigma that surrounds one specific dissociative disorder known as dissociative identity disorder (DID). In the past, DID was referred to as multiple personality disorder. When it was known as multiple personality disorder, it was used as a sort of “catch-all” for “extreme” mental illness and it was portrayed poorly, negatively, and often violently. Fortunately, there is now a much better understanding of dissociative disorders and the 5 types of dissociation.
Understanding Dissociative Disorders
According to the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) clinical write-up, “What Are Dissociative Disorders?”, “Dissociative disorders involve problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior, and sense of self. Dissociative symptoms can potentially disrupt every area of mental functioning. Examples of dissociative symptoms include the experience of detachment or feeling as if one is outside one’s body and loss of memory or amnesia.” These symptoms are just a few examples of dissociation.
Furthermore, there are actually 5 types of dissociation: Depersonalization, derealization, amnesia, identity confusion, and identity alteration. Not all of them have to be present to constitute a dissociative disorder, but quite often they manifest in tandem and they can intensify if the disorder is not treated.
Understanding Depersonalization
It should be noted that many dissociative disorders arise out of some form of trauma or traumatic event. The types of dissociation, and their related symptoms are side effects or “coping mechanisms” that manifest as a way to work through the trauma. Depersonalization is one of those symptoms.
Depersonalization is the feeling that someone is detached from or not existing in their own body. Individuals who experience this describe it as an “out of body” feeling. Yet, others describe it as a feeling in which they feel wholly unfamiliar with who they are. They describe themselves as unrecognizable.
Understanding Derealization
The next type of dissociation is derealization. Derealization is the feeling that the world around someone is not real.
This feeling has been described as though one were watching a film. It has also been described as feeling like the world is behind some type of fog or mist, making it difficult to connect with.
Understanding Amnesia
Amnesia is perhaps the most recognizable of the 5 types of dissociation. Though, like DID, it has long been misrepresented in popular culture. It is often used as a “cute” plot point in movies. However, in real life, it is anything but.
Amnesia refers to when someone has trouble recollecting information about themselves to a degree that is much more extreme than simple forgetfulness. When it comes to dissociative amnesia, the most common occurrence is when someone blocks out a specific event. Usually, this is a traumatic event or series of traumatic events.
Amnesia can be particularly disconcerting because the person experiencing it can slip in and out of it as though in a “black-out” state.
Understanding Identity Confusion
Identity confusion is when someone struggles to understand who they are. They often find themselves engaging in activities that are wholly unlike them.
For example, a person may become excited when engaging in activities that they otherwise would find objectionable. This could be substance or alcohol use, violent acts, or risky sexual behaviors.
Understanding Identity Alteration
Identity alteration is what many people think of when they think of DID and dissociation. This is also where the “multiple personality” moniker first derived from.
Identity alteration is when a person feels separated from different parts of themself. This separation is often represented by a shift in personality or an “alteration” of persona. These shifts can also come on very suddenly and disappear just as fast.
Identity alteration can also manifest in such a way that the individual may believe that they are living in a different time in their lives. For example, they may feel as though they are a version of their younger selves. These alterations can also take on physical changes, such as a change in voice, use of accents, and different types of body articulations and facial expressions.
Treating All Types of Dissociation at The Phoenix Recovery Center
Here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, we know that DID and the various types of dissociation have long been stigmatized. This is why we not only treat dissociative disorders but also work diligently to inform the public and eliminate the stigmas that surround them.
Our aim is that with the right types of treatment and comprehensive recovery plans those struggling with dissociative disorders can get back to feeling like themselves again; because everyone deserves a chance to be whoever they really are, and whoever they truly wish to be.
If you feel like you or someone you love may be struggling with a dissociative disorder or any other issues of mental illness, don’t wait to call. We can help you and your loved ones get on the road to recovery. For more information on some evidence-based treatments for alleviating dissociation, please reach out to The Phoenix Recovery Center today at (801) 438-3185.
Kati Morton Jan 17, 2022 Online Therapy – I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Join Kati in her powerful new LIVE Online Workshop on ATTACHMENT – JULY 21st & 28th https://katimorton.com/the-shop (pre-order your recorded version if you will be unavailable to attend LIVE) In this video I’m talking about the 5 types of dissociation AND how to deal with them. I’ll speak to these 5 common types: maladaptive daydreaming, dissociative identity disorder, depersonalization, derealization and dissociative amnesia. I’ll also talk about what dissociation is like. So whether you’re wondering what is dissociation ? or what is dissociation like ? or help with dissociation ? or what types of dissociation there are , I am here to answer your questions. Fight Flight Freeze Fawn: Really Understand Your Stress Response • Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn: Understanding… TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Dissociation definition and overview 01:45 – Episode sponsor 02:30 – Dissociative Amnesia 04:13 – Maladaptive Daydreaming 06:21 – Depersonalization 07:50 – Derealization 9:06 – Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) 11:28 – Tips for dealing with dissociation —- I’m Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy
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