🔴 Dr. K Deep Dives into Dissociation

Dr. K’s Guide to Mental Health explores Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Meditation, and now Trauma!
With 150+ video chapters in a Final Fantasy-inspired skilltree, the new Trauma module is available for preorder! bit.ly/3GaubzI
Comprehensive mental health resources here: explore.healthygamer.gg/menta...
DISCLAIMER
Healthy Gamer is an online community and resource platform for gamers and their families. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care. Our coaches are peer supporters, not professionally trained experts, and they cannot provide medical service. If you or a loved one are experiencing an emergency, please call your nation's emergency telephone number.
All guests of Healthy Gamer are informed of the public, non-medical nature of the content and have expressly agreed to share their story.

[@pradiptahafid]

That feeling when somoeone can articulate your confusion for years in a way that really hit the spot.

[@lifesahellofaride]

HG is an interkontinental treasure. but as dr k states, entertainment and information only. he seems to hit the spot everytime and i struggled a lot with protagonist syndrome on his content. *not to undermine or deminish the work, not in the slightest. i benefit a huge deal off of their videos.* i look at this as a very very eleborate and tutored google search. getting an evalutation from a therapist is still the most valuable lesson HG taught me and tries to teach everyone. disclaimer: imo.

[@lifesahellofaride]

ps: good luck to you, whatever youre struggling with. its gonna be alright eventually and thats the neat thing.

[@DillyTheWillyWilliams]

@@lifesahellofaride no its not. ive had dissociation issues for a decade. some will get better, some will die. thats the truth.

[@anxav]

*Intro, YT Membership & Trauma Guide:* 6:06 *Dissociation Lecture:* 17:30 - Introduction & Why This Topic Matters: 17:30 - Dissociation & the internet: 24:55 - The "Psychic Pit Model": 26:59 - Defining Dissociation & Depersonalization: 30:42 - Components of self that are affected: 31:49 - Fracturing & Intrusions: 33:44 - Neuroscience of Dissociation: 34:59 - How dissociation works: 35:04 - Dissociation as a protective mechanism: 44:15 - The role of memory & flashbacks: 40:54 - Dissociation as a Protective Mechanism: 44:15 - PFC Suppressing Amygdala: 55:11 - Insula & Interoceptive Awareness: 56:16 - The PCC & Self-Recognition: 1:04:47 - DMN & Depression: 1:09:25 - Ketamine as Treatment : 1:11:01 - Overmodulation & undermodulation of emotions: 1:14:05 - Impact on Identity & Motivation: 1:26:33 - Dissociation, Gaming & The Internet: 1:30:28 - Virtual identities & problematic internet use: 1:34:19 - Finding safety & salience in the virtual world: 1:37:16 - What To Do: 1:40:26 - Trauma-related treatment (EMDR, psychotherapy): 1:40:26 - Learning to feel & reducing alexithymia: 1:41:57 - Re-engaging with Relationships: 1:50:47 - Living Life & Avoiding Retreat: 1:56:19 - Yoga for Dissociation: 2:00:09 *Dev Talk - Trauma Guide Feature Demo (with Trinian):* 2:10:18 *Q&A:* 2:32:39 - Gender Dysphoria & Dissociation: 2:33:20 - Future Lecture on DID/OSDD?: 2:36:06 - Neuroplasticity & Brain Changes: 2:38:12 - Yoga Nidra & Salience: 2:41:14 - Meditation & Dissociation: 2:43:57 - Dissociation & Romantic Relationships: 2:52:19 - PNES & The Trauma Guide: 2:58:02 - Gaming & Artificial Dissociation: 2:58:50 - BPD & Disorganized Attachment: 3:00:06 - Finding Balance Between Feeling & Action: 3:00:28 *Closing Remarks:* 3:07:28

[@silverly0]

Preemptive wholehearted thank you from the community!

[@petrl7964]

thanks buddy

[@sumeet.]

I love you genuinely. You always there when I need you king/queen 🤞🏽🙇🏽‍♂️

[@ggjr1992]

Look how you ate that!

[@pradiptahafid]

I don't know who you are but I am so grateful for your consciousness, your concentration and your effort in making this timestamps.

[@phantasm5347]

Oh wow, I was waiting for this. I've been living on autopilot for about 4 years. Waking up, dressing up, getting into bus, riding to work, working, getting back home, gettin into bed and in the end... realising I don't remember almost ANYTHING that happened throughout the day. I didn't know how I got up, how I appeared at work, how I got back home. I was stuck in my own world inside my head where I was going through same events from my life, same fuck ups, imagining what could have been if I chose differently etc. I was in such a bad state my family forced me to go to a psychiatrist. Anxiety-depressive states with dissociative symptoms. I got my meds and got better after a year of treatment.

[@balsaaa]

Just start living bro

[@Photik]

May i ask what medications you got on and if therapy helped?

[@Photik]

That's really not helpful to anyone with mental health issues lol. ​@@balsaaa

[@phantasm5347]

@@Photik I started from 5mg per day of Elicea and went up to 20mg during my treatment. I know those drugs can have different names around the world or something. It has Escitalopram in it. I guess that's the most important component. I still struggle from identity issues and the feeling of pointlessness of my life but at least I'm in it again. Not god knows where.

[@Maelthorn1337]

​@@Photik I don't know the exact reasons for you asking this, but as a disclaimer I should mention that you shouldn't use another person as a compass for what you should pursue in terms of treatment. The causes for dissociation could be entirely different between the two of you. The physiology is also likely entirely different, and both of these things have an immense impact on what treatments will and won't work. It took me 4 psychiatrists and a dozen medications before I started treatment for a mood disorder (which was originally thought to be other ailments) because my constellation of symptoms was so complex. As a general rule, I'd always recommend therapy with the caveat that you might not jive with the therapist, and you might have to try a few; just make sure you're entirely honest with your expectations and experiences with the therapist. They may be able to adjust their approach if what they're doing doesn't seem to be helping. As far as medication goes, you'll typically start with a general practitioner. GP's are able to prescribe medications for mental disorders/illnesses but I'd recommend pressing them on being referred to an actual psychiatrist because GP's tend to (from personal experience and what I've heard from others) not have the level of knowledge and experience needed to effectively treat a mental illness. Hope that was helpful.

[@dragonqueen7328]

If you weren't taught how to identify and express emotions as a child, that isn't set in stone. That means it is a learned skill, and as long as you can learn, you can recover.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

To a large extent yes, but it does take a fair amount of work and most of our "emotions" are really a mixture of other emotions, positive, negative and approach. (Approach emotions aren't something that typically gets much attention, but that's mostly like anger that makes us want to approach the problem and do something about it)

[@lemonchanisrandom1531]

:< shocker I agree

[@RudeusGreyrat-nw1jb]

I have dissociation for so long that I have even forgot how is it to be like a normal human

[@b.szymanska9227]

Same here, but nothing is set in stone, there’s always a way to get better. Don’t lose hope, with a right amount of work we’ll be able to live fully and breathe again ❤️

[@Healing_Word1]

@@b.szymanska9227 There isn't always a way to get better

[@EricMeatlikeaking]

I'm like a fish in water I didn't know if there was anything different I guess I've always been dissociated.

[@jandptv5954]

Yeah, that’s what it does to you. I think it’s possible to come back from it, you just have to break habits that keep your mind out of focus like mindless scrolling, nicotine, weed, oversleeping, and replace them with activities that engage you like exercise, reading, talking, having fun outside. Not to say you have to completely eliminate those things you love to do in your leisure time, but make them a very small part of your day or week. You’ll notice that over the course of a few months the dissociation will begin to clear up, but it won’t unless you truly want it to. You have to make the decision to work your brain even though it’s exhausting. Take baby steps, it will happen.

[@EricMeatlikeaking]

@@jandptv5954 how did you even find out that you were dissociated? Like how did you find out it wasn't how normal people are? Because I thought I was normal and other are like that too because it feels normal to be disassociated all the time?

[@wahlawigi9572]

I'm actively at work, I opened KZbin because I had an overwhelming wave of guilt and depression. I just about laughed out loud because Dr. K streamed about dissociation the one day I wasn't dissociating the last bit of his lecture had me trying not to cry at my station

[@stickmandaninacan]

the irony in that I keep having to rewind a few minutes because i realise i have dissociated while thinking about something said and stopped paying attention to what is being said afterwards

[@shrinkelizabeth]

Same lol. I have issues with spacing out and having to rewind most content, but it's very meta to be doing it while watching this. I'm about 50 minutes in after watching for a good almost 3 hours.

[@Aires457]

Sounds like my ADHD lol

[@boom2478]

It's like 2 steps forward- 1 step back 24/7 😮‍💨

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@Aires457 Yeah, that sounds like more of an ADHD thing. Especially if it's happening repeatedly on that sort of short time frame.

[@carolinacaetano9147]

OMG the same happens to me!!! I know it’s not distraction because I can listen to his videos only rarely rewinding, but this one I keep going somewhere else.

[@dutawe]

my chronic depersonalization/derealization began when i was 12 years old. i know the exact date. if you showed me a film of myself, i could pinpoint the exact moment it started. this was the beginning of a long journey where i thought i was utterly insane. most of the time, when you're experiencing a symptom of mental illness, you can google key words to find out what it is that you have. to find others who are experiencing the same thing. but with dp/dr, this took me multiple years. how do you look up a feeling? that the grass is too green. like i'm drunk or high, but without any of the fun. that the malls are too big and bright. that everything is foggy, yet vibrant. that my hands aren't my own. that i'm a little person sitting behind my own eyes. that the ground keeps comes closer when i walk. i asked doctors, i was referred to opthalmologists, i asked my family. sometimes descriptions of dpdr would accidentally slip out of my mouth to someone in my life, and they couldn't understand. i only found out what it was when i stumbled across a youtube video by a musician i listen to. and finally, i could breathe again. i finally felt seen. feelings of derealization and depersonalization are the 3rd most common symptoms of mental illness after feelings of anxiety and depression. and there was a huge spike during covid, when everyone was quarantined. the pandemic was a global trauma. it is going to affect us as a society, as people, long-term. i dont wish dpdr on anyone.

[@nickbsilvamusic]

This is an incredibly useful video and my personal favorite you've ever done. Big thanks to you and your team

[@sebastiaanstok]

I tought you were a bot but then I saw it's a guitar 🙈

[@just.cody.]

I have few deep memories from my childhood, but I can vividly remember around the age of 10 asking my brother if he felt like he "wasn't in control of his life, like you're watching someone else live life for you?" I'd been quickly dismissed by him and the rest of my family, no matter how often I brought up this strange feeling over time. 20 something years later I'm halfway through this lecture relating to more than I anticipated. Not diagnosing myself, but I can say this is the motivation and specific angle I needed to begin seeking more individualized help. Thanks Dr K. Been a big fan for a while, but this is without a doubt the most personally impacting video to date.

[@trulsfinne9362]

"A-ha! You thought I was Dr. K, but I am now Aloki, Monk of Mischief!"

[@MikkahLive]

Dude… This channel has done more for my mental health than any doctor, practitioner, standard self help by MILES. Thank you and all behind the HealthyGamer team. Been dealing with this for about 7 years, and as a soon 25 year old. It’s so frustrating, but I’ve seen progress. Most that deal with this, feel alone, unseen and unheard. I wish everyone the best, and you can overcome this 🤙

[@aidanbrown7137]

Completely with you there. Idk where I’d be if I didn’t find this channel way back. 23 and chugging along Stay strong bros ❤️

[@MikkahLive]

@@aidanbrown7137 keep on keeping on ✊

[@MikkahLive]

@@aidanbrown7137 stay strong 💪

[@vazzaroth]

The true crushing weight of modern life is when you hear "Do yoga, do tai chi" and you look up where you can go IRL to 'live your life' and take a class and find out... they are all during weekdays at 11am and you work every weekday 9-5... Nothing quite like getting a ray of hope only to realize the cards are deeply stacked against you. Can you do SOMETHING in the face of this? yea prob. Do it on your own, etcetc. But that's why the MODERN life is SO bad. We all keep having to problem solve everything, it seems like, ourselves in a time when supposedly business solutions and products are CLAIMING to make our life easier than ever. Which might be true...except it's all with a fee and to pay that fee you have to busy yourself in such a hugely unbalanced way with what we call 'actually living' that LIVING is ALWAYS going to be the thing that gets thrown out, in sublimation to MAKING MONEY instead, unless you have the herculean strength to walk upstream in waist deep water for the rest of your life OR you are pre-resourced (AKA family money, trust fund, etc) enough to start sculpting the environment and the river to suit your own needs. Very few people, in totality, can afford that kind of commanding power, but we sure as hell all LISTEN to their BS about how "just" waking up at 5am solves all of THEIR problems. And it'll solve YOURS too (If you also have $1000 to spend every day to sustain it, is the part they don't say out loud.) Then you look for people to help you and find them FINALLY after a lot of failed tries...except they're kinda hoping that YOU can help THEM walk through the water instead. And you think "well we'll link hands and walk together" and you take 3 steps and then find a split in the river and your guys' paths diverge in a way you can't rectify because you went to school for 4 years for path A and they have 8 years of EXP working on Path B and both of these industries only exist in 2-3 cities that are split across the entire country. -__- Then remote work started to seem like a solution and now it's all "GO BACK TO THE OFFICE! REMOTE WORK SUCKS" again now that no one's being FORCED to allow it. -__- (plus remote work might even make work TWICE as isolating!) It feels to me like we're reaching a human specialization cap on how we can expect our society to function without very high level control and clear rules to sort people, which is what everyone is scared of with both communism and fascism alike... So wtf do we do about THAT???? There's only so many times a person can try this cycle over and over and over and find something that seems great but doesn't work out in the medium run, or even the short run, before they lose all will to keep trying. It's how slot machines get you. They don't have a 1% hit rate, they have like a 15% hit rate b/c people are smart at realizing when their efforts never pay off!!! That part of the problem, imo, won't go away until life shifts DRAMATICALLY in some kind of way, but ofc no one knows how to solve it b/c it's as complex as real life is and requires highly resourced individuals (not unlike Dr K!) to start the arm linking and try to help others figure out how they can manage to get into the same river in their life. THAT is how we heal the world. Harmonization, moving towards the same goals, and reverberation energy. NOT individualism and personal achievement. That's the recipe that got us into this mess to begin with.

[@vazzaroth]

The good news is that human resilience as a whole is extremely inspiring and we CAN make it through this, but it probably WON'T ever be all unicorns and rainbows... and TBH probably never has been at any point, ever. But hope finds a way, nevertheless. We DO need to have more nice moments in life to remind people that, even if we will never reach that utopia we all hope for in reality, we can at least catch glimpses of WHY we are all hoping for it, and THAT is the glue that is meant to hold society together. NOT repression and domination and resource scarcity like we're increasingly relying on in 2024+.

[@isabelbriolle8228]

I'm an atheist but PREACH! 😫🙏

[@nichnytsia.stitch]

the part about it being considered rare but way more ppl have it than we thought: I must say this, as a citizen of one of the many countries affected by war right now, actively concerned about effective PTSD treatments for the many many many veterans that we will encounter. However still I had NO IDEA this was SO common. I've just entered the practice of counseling/psychology working in a school, only for half a year so far. Nothing too difficult for beginners. I'm shocked to say I've already worked with a client (grade 9) with DP/DR and some concerning amnesia symptoms. If that's how common this is and not a total coincidence, then dissociation and especially DID are going to appear SO MUCH MORE in the next decade. It's so crucial they MUST be explained more to society, starting, like, right now. So, thank you so much for covering this!

[@johanneshjelmstedt2999]

Ok ut Lmao i u

[@PabloPerroPerro]

50:30 Paralysis of initiation 1:22:00 Salience (the notion of importance in an emotional level) 1:30:00 Why this is on the rise 1:40:00 What do we do: Therapy, EMDR, The importance of Connection to others (humans and animals) (we all feel more than we can handle) 1:56:00 Learn how to live life

[@torihanabi]

I think dissociation/depersonalization has always been a larger issue than people realize, but technology helped us recognize and keep track of it better. Since other ways of dissociating were more subtle, and social pressure to conform could easily cover a lot of it up simply because no one’s paying attention to conforming-“it’s just taking part in normal common behavior”. Other ways to dissociate is through reading, music, media, being a workaholic, etc. The work place is a huge place for dissociation especially when it’s highly demanding and toxic, people end up “switching off” to get through it. I’m still at the beginning of the video so if you touch on this later or if I’m using the wrong words, I apologize in advance.

[@timefortee]

Excellent points! I would love to read more from you.

[@Tesis]

Oh yes I was a huge reader. I read all day and all night 😅 then when mom would force me to stop reading and go to bed I’d lay in bed for hours either crushing sense of doom It started from as early as I learned how to read, I have a life long issue with dissociation

[@laughing_sunset]

​@@Tesisoh I teel this, I even chose the field of phylology in Uni just to read more...

[@timefortee]

@@laughing_sunset What on earth is "phylology"

[@laughing_sunset]

@@timefortee sorry, English is not my native and I haven't had language lessons in a while. Philology*

[@Rachel-kr1jh]

For those who maybe still don't fully get it: Dissociation can be a symptom of disorders such as -anxiety -ptsd -bpd When the dissociation integrates itself more intensly into an individuals life (it is long lasting and causes distress) it potentially can become its own condition rather than just a symptom of a different disorder. There are 4 main dissociative disorders: -DPDR (depersonalisation/derealisation disorder) - a disconnection between experiences of the minds and the self and reality -DID (dissoctiave identity disorder) - a disconnection between different internal identities or selves -Dissociative amnesia - disconnection between self and memory or elements of identity -Dissociative fugue - a form of dissociative amnesia Depersonalisation and derealisation are forms of dissociation that describe a disconnection from self and reality, respectively. It isn't abnormal to experience either of these occasionally as fleeting sensations, and they can be symptoms of disorders first mentioned but once they establish themselves as both lingering and distressing (and resistant to conventional treatment) the experiencing of these forms of dissociation could be linked to dissociative disorders like DPDR, in particular. I also think the reason more people supposedly are dissociated is, in part, because people have a greater understanding of self and access to vocabulary - the ability to describe what's wrong, even if it's hard to treat. Dissociation cannot be medicated away. It is essentialy the result of severe anxiety, and the anxiety can be medicated, which can alleviate the dissociation. But to this day, there's no clear protocol or set means of treatment for dissociation alone because it is so complicated and misunderstood. Anyway Dissociation is super interesting and overwhelmingly misunderstood online. This lecture was really interesting, but I feel like it probably isn't super comprehensible to people who don't already have a solid base level understanding of dissociation. Still, any information given by people who actually know what they're talking about can only do any good in the end. I'm glad Dr K discussed this issue, and think he did a pretty decent job.

[@connorholmes8786]

Thank you for writing this friend

[@Sender1257]

A fantastic summary

[@OGejheb]

Can we Add dissociation seizures. I find it important to mention that it can also cause physical Symptoms. There are also some cases where people became paralysed and cant Walk longterm

[@colinb8332]

Moment of vulnerability for me. I see comments that say “I cried at this video…” a lot for Dr.Ks videos. I always thought it was corny. I did cry at this video. I have suffered from derealization and depersonalization for years now. Heavy gaming time, porn use and internet use. No feeling of a continuous, whole sense of self. It hurts. My primary focus in my life right now is healing. So glad this is getting talked about. I know I am not the only one.

[@kieleyevatt2232]

The reason I cried at this one is just the feeling of how utterly unfair it is that because of trauma, all these extra years of my youth have been robbed from me in a way that to all my friends and family just looks like a moral faliure and me being lazy.

[@colinb8332]

I absolutely know this feeling. But I’ve also seen people who are older than me and just seem to live life on autopilot. So although my last several years have been pretty bad, I’m making sure the rest of my life is filled with meaning and happiness.

[@jonathanfoll3953]

I'm in the same boat, it's been years. We will both get through this. I believe in you.

[@soupy5890]

"No feeling of a continuous, whole sense of self. It hurts." puts into words something I've been trying to figure out for a good bit, if it's anything like what I'm thinking of then you aren't alone

[@aidanbrown7137]

Definitely not alone. I’m with you man, hang in there. One day we’ll make it out

[@Lactosecow]

I've said this before; I saw this gamer therapist pop up on my feed and thought it was hilariously dumb. Watched one video and now I'm hooked. This lecture was made for me. Thank you.

[@martinakorinkova5746]

I am only in the first hour watching this back but it’s the most helpful video in terms of understanding myself how my brain functions. I am no longer young. I am 43. I want to mention it so that this community gets to know there aren’t only young people who follow this channel. We are broken as well. We’ve been “living” our lives not knowing what the fuck is wrong with us. I no longer believe it can be better but at least knowing it’s not my fault and I didn’t have a choice but to happen like that to just survive. I am so grateful Dr. K exists.

[@kaoutar6921]

I feel so f*****g lonely, i live with my family parents and 2 little sisters, but I've never felf loved neither understood or welcomed in this family, my childhood was like hell, nothing good about it but manipulation and humiliation and shame. I'm so tired.

[@timefortee]

❤

[@TheMsr47gaming]

Gotta try to find where you fit in, as corny as it sounds. I belive in you and i dont even know you. You got this ❤

[@unknxwnplxcemxnt]

I feel ya on that

[@TheDefiantkid]

I can understand it to some degree. My childhood also consisted of constant manipulation, humiliation, and shame. Got a few fun disorders thanks to them. The best thing I ever did for myself was move out. For a while, I lived with some friends. Now I'm living on my own. I still find myself coming back to them, and getting hurt. But I'm at least not forced to be around them constantly now. I hope you can find a path to distance yourself from them.

[@p1body723]

I read a story about similar case it's called "metamorphosis" by the author Kafka

[@funkgab2013]

This was one of your best talks Dr.K. I can recall exactly when I wished to be able disassociate from a turbulent childhood and unfortunately I got my wish.

[@JackNowhere]

Really happy and grateful that this is being adressed. I've struggle with Dissociation for all my life and developed DID. Finally think I can make big steps in healing now with the information given to me in this Video. Might be one of the most important ones I've ever seen.

[@princessodonata2729]

Wishing you all the best in your healing journey. The CTAD Clinic treats OSDD/DID, and they have a KZbin page. Perhaps they can be a helpful resource for you.

[@Ciera_Banks]

As I continue my healing journey and working through my childhood trauma, videos like these are vital to my understanding of things and I just thank you so much for taking the time to do these! Cheers to you and your team! 😊

[@shrinkelizabeth]

I'm a psychiatry resident (who also myself struggle with dissociation), and this is the first time I've really been able to make any sense at all of what always seemed like nebulous concepts like the "self" and "fragmentation" that would come up from time to time in any lectures, readings, etc I tried to use in attempt to better understand this topic. Actually dealing with dissociative tendencies is hell from both the patient and the clinician side because most clinicians barely understand the concept, yet alone know how to address it. I've seen a few therapists, and they basically all just taught be basic grounding techniques (eg 5,4,3,2,1), which may be helpful for fairly straightforward/textbook cases of dissociation but never helped me much.

[@timefortee]

Let's hope the information will slowly but firmly take root in those fields as time passes. Incompetent and/or inhumane "healthcare" professionals are ruining lives daily as we speak.

[@Sender1257]

I really feel that comment about simple grounding not working, it’s so frustrating when conventional advice has little to no effect and you’re left scratching your head in frustration and sheer desperation for change. It’s even worse when therapists say “you’re so articulate and aware” but I’m so detached from myself I barely even know what I’m saying, operating purely off subconscious programming and not directly interfacing with the world. And dissociation is so common too, I’ve met so many people who experience it and yet it’s treated like some rare condition. I think people like you in the medical field can help spearhead a change - our healthcare professionals are so uninformed and fail to serve the needs of patients. I feel like dissociation isn’t something that can be understood intellectually, you just have to know from personal experience how horrific it is

[@Amazing_missB]

I have CPTSD and was prescribed heavy doses of benzos- I became addicted and also abused them for “the escape.” I had a very rapid taper off of them in rehab and one of the worst things was horrible dp/dr for almost 6 months. It felt like my sense of self was “shifted” and I was looking at the world from 5 ft underwater. It was absolutely awful- I was terrified I’d feel like this forever. Eventually I had one window of 5 minutes where I felt like myself again. I held onto these “Windows” wirh all the hope I had- If I had one “ window” eventually I’d have another. Over the course of 6 months the windows became more frequent and lasted longer. Thank god the dp/dr went away mostly at 6 months. Almost two years out I’ll have some moments I of do/dr. I don’t know if it’s extended post acute withdrawals or just my original diagnosis of CPTSD. I have heard that dp/dr is extremely common on people coming off benzos.

[@crowsong8097]

I have cptsd with horrible dp/dr episodes that will hit so hard I literally cannot speak or move for hours at a time. Benzos are the only thing I have ever found that can help me when I feel that coming on. I have weaned myself down to a very small dose (1/4 of a 2.5mg tablet) and at this point only occasionally need it because the episodes don’t ‘self-start’ as much as they used to. It if some environmental trigger happens (I do something wrong and think people are mad at me, someone yells angrily near me, etc), I have a window of maybe five minutes to get and take that med so that it can head off the worst of the crap that is coming. I still will have an episode, but it is much much less intense. I do not know how I would navigate my life without this rescue med for when I need it, and I hope to god it is never taken from me. I am so much more of a functional human being with it when I need it.

[@Amazing_missB]

@@crowsong8097 I thought I was… it’s taken almost two years off of them and a ton of trauma therapy and a bunch of other work such as meditation, exercise, social interaction with safe people- etc. and my symptoms are almost gone entirely. They will pop up though when I am extremely stressed. What’s kind of interesting though is that if I really want to I can bring disassociation back on if I really want to. I had to have a surgery that they strongly suggested anesthesia, but it was going to cost too much money - I knew I was able to disassociate if I needed to so I told him to just give me the local… couldn’t believe how I handled it and I just said I took myself someplace else 🤷‍♀️. Dissociation is not nearly as distressing as depersonalization for me. Disassociation is whereI am just “someplace else” or am missing some chunks of time. Depersonalization though- to me is absolutely one of the worst feelings in the world for me.

[@PixxieHaxx]

This was wonderfully informative, love the map of choose your own adventure in mental & spiritual wellness- amazing work, thanks to you and your team ❤

[@0rokami]

This is perhaps one of the most important videos I've ever seen on this channel. And that's saying something. Thanks Healthy Gamer.

[@chickenbby]

i appreciate so much the use of nuero talk and showing published studies. it makes things so much more concrete as someone with a DD where denial is so strong.

[@matrix4793]

Strumming my pain with his fingers 🎶

[@connorholmes8786]

I can’t even tell you how hyped I was when I saw the live! I’ve been journaling a lot and one problematic chunk of it is avoidance coupled and thru dissociation

[@Amilla18]

Dr. K I hope you see this, you did an amazing job researching this, I know because I've ben stuck in this state for over a decade and everything you described was spot on. Also amazing is that the research is far more advanced than I thought because it was able to help you deeply understand the disorder and then you were able to put the pieces together. Thank you

[@genocidist2602]

who am i? who are you? where am i? what is this world? why am i here? what is this video? why am i here? why do i exist?

[@Iamnobody066]

Real

[@waterfrodo4304]

Thanatosis (physiological feign death) is a rather extreme example of a freeze response, and probably not even applicable to humans or other apes. If you walk in the woods and see a bear (or a man if that sounds scarier), your first reaction would probably be to stop, stand still, forget whatever you were doing (all the salience gets directed towards the bear), hope the bear does not notice you, and look for possible escapes. That is a more common case of a freeze response, and it also happens on a low neurological level. If you are carrying a baby through those woods (or hiding in a cellar from some bad people), even the baby can read your nonverbal cues, and freeze as well.

[@merequetengue69]

The baby response thing is so interesting! I know babies mimic their parents but I didn't know it also extended to the freeze response situations. Is there a word/study that describes that specific scenario?

[@timefortee]

Death feigning / tonic immobility is the vagotonic kind of "Freeze", and absolutely exists in humans. When all the other responses have failed, you just detach and numb yourself to the extreme waiting for the hurt to end.

[@MattisonB]

I like your inclusion of the man-bear debate lmao. Thanks for the info!

[@lauraschleifer4721]

You're talking about a single isolated incident where there is a deadly threat. Thanatosis in humans, aka the "collapse and submit" stress response, comes from being trapped long term in an ongoing mortal threat situation with no (perceived) escape, not just an isolated incident. When it gets to that stage, it really is more extreme than the freeze response.

[@thederpydude2088]

It's far less dramatic, but "hope the bear does not notice you, and look for possible escapes" reminds me a bit of when I'm playing a combat game sometimes lol.

[@Phoenix-sq9ce]

im so happy a video was made on this, had it in a really hard time in life and still have it, ive learned more how to deal with it, but i hope other people feel better if they have it worse

[@mvzan672]

53:01 Really hit home for me- my mom was training for the olympics. she was a swimmer from middle school up until 20 when she got pregnant. she tried signing me up for swim classes and teams, tried to teach me how to swim. but she made it all about her, and all about me doing it wrong and not being a good enough natural. she always made me feel guilty for not wanting to follow in her path.

[@theeternalgus9119]

What path have you chosen for yourself?

[@HondaCivictor]

This resonated with me. Thank you, i wasnt aware of this before but is exactly what ive been feeling ever since i lost my job

[@peentgamer]

It was very difficult to hear some of this but I appreciate massively the understanding you're giving away. I'm hoping I can retrain some of this knowledge and apply it. Might check out the guide too

[@hellokitty4me]

Kinda sad I missed this one live, but I'm so glad it happened. I am so happy to learn about this cuz I've been feeling like this the past couple of weeks since I came back from vacation (I have diagnosed ADHD).

[@blablamccain4986]

Thank you Dr K. Really appreciate someone putting words and order to such horrible life circumstances. I've tried to articulate these feelings but it's close to impossible.

[@Sender1257]

I’ve been waiting for this video for the longest, thank you Dr. K 🙏

[@haben7990]

Thank you so much Dr. K and team!

[@LeoRising0416]

I was waiting for this one since you announced it somewhere in winter. As someone with did who enjoys and learns from your videos a lot, thank you so much🙏🙏🙏 Edit: I do hope we'll get a deep dive into dissociation/did, was happy the person asked :) I'm very curious to see what your spiritual input on it would be as well.

[@kimberlydreiling5148]

This is so fascinating, im loving this deep dive

[@6ColourMeRainbow9]

Im halfway through, and i have a thought. Yall are talking about videogames, and social media, and internet use, and i wasnt relating... because im a millennial. I didnt get a phone till i was 15, i played in the dirt when i was traumatized, i developed a different safe space... in my mind. Youre right, dr k, i should find my diet important, but all i find myself prioritizing is my writing! I read a lot, i research and take notes on video essays about stories, and i write my own stories that are gonna save a generation from going through what i go through. That question, "whats important to you" really is the question to ask. So many things are clicking in this video, thank you! Now lets finish the second half jaja

[@amderrsom]

there it is again,dr k putting all my exact issues into words. seriously,dr k manages to make me feel the most transparent ive ever felt in my life with so many of his videos

[@dwoodlbug]

I know my case is pretty extreme, I was able to get diagnosed on what happened When i was 16 I had several traumatic events happen at once and I remember feeling a change hit me. Like night and day, suddenly everything was from the third person and I wasn't controlling or making decisions anymore. Like a movie where someone was playing me, in a half-assed but convincing way to everyone else and all i could do was watch in horror. It made me feel like I'd never get to participate in my life again, like I'd have to watch this fraud imitation of me make decisions for forever. There was this underwater haze of a feeling, reality wasn't real. But I knew deep down it had been real before, so it couldn't just disappear. Everything and everyone who raised me and the homes I've entered into a million times could have been places I'd never seen for all I knew. The people I loved most felt fague now, so making memories with them was horrific because it felt like I was watching us interact in the past even though the present was unfolding before my eyes in the moment. There was no moment to feel things, that felt cut out too. And anything I said was a predetermed script so it wasn't even my own words even though they sounded like something I'd say. My entire sense of agency as a human had washed away. Its back now, I'm 22 and am so grateful I made it out the other end because what the fuck It lasted years. 6 long years I clawed my way out and found good people, a better home.. therapy and medication 🫶 I'd never wish dissociation or derealization on anyone. They're so awful If you have it, dont give up or give into the overwhelm. If you can get yourself somewhere safe and therapy if possible , pieces can come back ❤ your survival instincts will let you back into the pilot seat again. Find good ways to ground yourself if you get small episodes where you slip out of place. Its going to be okay

[@dwoodlbug]

If you feel detached and like the world is quiet, let yourself ride it out for the time being

[@sausageanimations4301]

I've been trying so hard to get back into the pilot seat, its been 7 years for me and I'm 24, I've been going to therapy and have been moving around a lot to try and find someplace that makes me feel safe. Right now it feels like thats impossible. I should feel safe but I am not and I don't know why. I would appreciate advice. Thanks.

[@dwoodlbug]

@sausageanimations4301 feeling safe can mean so many things, but at the end of the day if you've moved around a lot and you still aren't in that safe place, maybe your heart doesn't recognize that this is an OK situation to let you roam yet. Not sure what type of therapy you have, but my advice would be to find somewhere safe, first and foremost ! You can't heal a wound when it's still being opened. When stuff quiets down it's a lot easier to work and lay out what you understand was the trigger for dissociation/ begin working on creating a bond with your mind that can communicate to it that it's okay now.

[@dwoodlbug]

@sausageanimations4301 I'd also like to say, don't add any "should" phrases into your life. You'll move forward when you're ready to. There's no timer on these things and it can be incredibly challenging to heal from trauma. Especially dissociation which can take years to lift. Before anything or wishing it were gone, understand that there's a reason this is happening and you're still valid for feeling whatever made you scared. Don't push away your humanity towards yourself. The answer is in the center.

[@Tesis]

Idk if it’s much more prevalent now I was a master dissociator before any of social media and computer games and such. I was called a very calm quiet child. Only at the age of 30 finally specialists confirmed to me I was great at dissociation and only by age 32 I finally stopped dissociating so easily.

[@Tesis]

Infinity scrolling feature in social media is amazing and helping to dissociate though.

[@Tesis]

100% on memory processing thing, my therapist insisted that would be most of the reason why I would feel like there’s gaps in time during normal everyday stuff. Journaling 20 mins before bed was very helpful with that, I would say.

[@Sussana13]

How did you get out from dissociation?

[@dogking4393]

I wrote a short story for one of my college courses about a 3 month dissasoiative "episode" and I did my best to describe how it feels to not be me, to have months of life missing in my memory and yet it was otherwise perfect. My brain told me the best version of me is one where I'm not in it. If anyone wants to read it let me know I can probably link a comment to it here somewhere

[@Photik]

Thank you for this.

[@palipride303]

I hope one day you come out with a workshop for mental health clinicians. This is fantastic information thank you so much for putting the time to make this.

[@TheMudcat7]

Brother healthy gamer just wanted to chime in here and say you are doing gods work. Thank you for what you do, you’ve been a blessing to me and many others, seriously.

[@VicSaidThat]

So on point! I have had dp/dr for 6 years. Thank you for the thoroufh research.

[@ErikKislikChessSuccess]

Thanks Dr. K. Good work everyone!

[@bonkchoy5544]

introducing salience as a measure of the dissociation severity is so so important. the only periods of your life that you feel truly present for are those that have a cohesive narrative, where everything just sort of clicks and makes sense

[@Saoirseah]

I can only say you are helping the realization and healing of the self for all of us through your continued hard work. Thank you 🙏 Please more on this topic 🙏❤ Learning how to be present so we can stop being dissociated, and what to do if you have been dissociated since early childhood. I believe this would help many people. Thank you 🫂 Thank you Question: If someone is constantly running into the counter *metaphorically speaking* and you point it out and they get mad at you and take it personally, like you are just being mean?!! What on earth do you do, especially if it's kids or family or a spouse? Thank you.

[@timefortee]

Could they have RSD?

[@derrekord]

This is really good. Excellent work Dr K!

[@Cclovercollectiive]

I could legit listen to this all day.

[@anjellalo972]

Yes this is me absolutely, I knew it was dissassociation but I never really thought about how it's probably affecting my whole life. I've been getting treated for my depression but I never mentioned this to them, I'm kind of afraid that I'll be judged or not believed or something because multiple personality is kind of a serious thing and I had "personalities" that I was talking to in late teens but for my own good they said they are gonna go away on strike because I didn't study, I'm unable to study lol so that was like 5 years ago and they never came back. Other than one time that I was super depressed, a new person came to talk to me and made me feel better and talked to me into me being worth something and mattered when I was at a very very low moment he said all the right things. Once I was feeling better from his compliments, pep talk, and advice it went away and I haven't actually had any more of those since. I think it's like the brain is really trying to protect you and keep you alive Because I was feeling so depressed and disassociated that I was unable to do anything hardly so when these Imaginary people in my head came suddenly it was nice and I wasn't alone, And I had like 10 people to talk to Who were rooting for me lol And who were all a different aspect of my personality was their whole being of each of them. Like all my negative, my depressive, My rude self, was named drag down. There was origional me who is myself, male me, flirty me, etc etc. Hard to tell apart so decided to have a different accent for each. Anyway, i may have subconsiously willed them away because I got scared about a movie where a guy had schitzophrenia. I knew they weren't real but it was still a nice experience once we could tell who is from who. They weren't all suddenly there at once, they came one by one in a short period of time.

[@ssykes7]

I'm so glad Dr. K talked about the difference between knowing and feeling regarding virtual worlds. Our subconscious and unconscious systems get hijacked and we don't realize it because logically we know onling gaming doesn't matter much, but emotionally we are engaged to the max. Logically we know our achievements in these worlds hardly matter IRL but our emotional and deep-brain self doesn't see any difference. It's dangerous, and especially so for boys/men because so many of us are clueless when it comes to our feelings.

[@Alexander_rekaX]

All this time i thought i have some kind of depression, or apathy, but now everything have come together

[@karentonks7581]

We're so lucky to have you Dr. K

[@sumeet.]

This video it self prolly just saved me and my friends/family

[@niiice8622]

Damn, Dr. K! When you stated talking about ketamine being a dissociative agent, used to treat depression it just clicked in my brain! It made me understand so much and I love these moments, when it just clicks! But the problem is m, that I need to watch a lot of long videos all related to a specific or multiple topics, before this can happen.

[@katenka_ana3997]

Try taking notes and making connections

[@itscomplicated6183]

Thank you for the informative video! Could you also do another dive into the topic, but this time focusing more in the derealisation part? Would be greatly appreciated.

[@calestaiezu214]

I learned to dissociate as a kid because I was constantly in pain. I wasn’t believed by my doctors or parents and was told I was making it up for attention. The only way I could deal with the pain was if I wasn’t “there.” It led to me not being able to remember huge chunks of my childhood.

[@lakshyavij9354]

Amazing stuff! I wish this was taught in school!

[@angelaabada7953]

This stream and the CPTSD one is gold content. Can't believe its for free

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

Me every time school is involved: Tries to pay attention to class or do homework -> gets bored -> dissociates either for hours or until it's over -> has to do tests like this -> struggled massively in school

[@Mmeeks187]

You nailed this!!!

[@user-xq3jy1ik6w]

The timing of this video was impeccable

[@Appleloucious]

One Love! Always forward, never ever backward!! ☀️☀️☀️ 💚💛❤️ 🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼

[@rouke3254]

I'm diagnosed with BPD and the best way I can explain dissociation is like having a life you never knew was there. There is no connection with my emotions compared to myself or my memories. For example, I can lash out on someone for x reason then next week act like that situation never occurred. It's like having emotions so strong that your brain just shutdown to prevent damage. It's like reliving an experience that you've had before but to you that experience is new every time you have it. I've noticed if my brain is not dissociating, I feel manic and am able to create memories, gain knowledge, and live high on life. Depression medication will make me hypomanic as well. BPD is rough. Support is hard to find especially if you are male and many psychiatrists do not want to make a diagnosis, the only reason I have mine is because I had one psychiatrist asked me if I had ever been diagnosed which led to do research and then going to my formal psychiatrist. Depression medication doesn't seem to fix the core symptoms of BPD and BPD has comorbidity of other disorders like ADHD and Autism which all four of these disorders overlap in some behaviors and others not so much. DBT doesn't seem to work for me as I know the implications of my actions, but I do not care. What has worked for me its building an identity that I can be proud of. Following my passion and from that creating aspirations/goals to obtain. For a long time, I had no clue what was wrong with me, and I felt misunderstood. I hope one day the disorder will be less stigmatized. There are also studies that indicate people with BPD have lower intelligence, but I found those studies to be full of erroneous control groups. If you take someone who is depressed who just got out of a psychiatric unit in the 90s of course they will score lower on intelligence. Depression is known to cause psychomotor disabilities. Infact people with BPD are able to process other people emotions more quickly compared to the average person why do you think we call this having a sixth sense. Jordan Peterson also argues that many BPD have highly intelligent who are more than capable of analyzing their actions but unable to control the downfall. This is my personal opinion, but I think BPD is on the same spectrum as depression and mania and BPD is in the middle meaning you have intense mood swings over a short period of time that can be severe depression or intense euphoria this makes sense when considering depression medication will not fix the symptoms of BPD but also can cause mania as well as being my personal experience with the disorder on how my emotions range compared to how quickly they can change. When talking about BPD I always think of two artist, Kendrick Lamar(count me out) and Juice WRLD. BPD is much more common than people think, and trauma seems to play a huge role in the development of the disorder... and honestly that makes me sad AFF.

[@NahIamgood]

Fantastic lecture! I appreciate greatly the amount of work that went into this lecture

[@tashawaters89]

1:32:22 oh wow, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.... What a throwback! Thanks, Dr. K. You're the best.

[@EmperorPenguinXRemas]

Did my Msc on transdiagnostic factor of DPD very interesting topic!!!

[@abelbarron4587]

Amazing vid doc ❤

[@LilMizRandom09]

That little flow chart at 26:00 really said it all.

[@midwinter78]

One of the things I like doing is analysis song lyrics for dissociative themes. In particular The Cure seems to be full of them. But the one that really comes to mind is "Going through the motions", the opening song of the musical episode of Buffy. Depersonalisation? Check. Derealisation? Check.

[@moimoiGirlFin]

Learning that fighting back is useless. Spot on. My brother used to scratch me until i bled, I would get punished if I even took my hands away from him and escape not to be scratched since he would cry and id get told its my fault. This went on for years before I was 5 and until pre teens. I think ive spent a lot of my life depersonalized and only had some periods "free" from it. Felt more connected to my body and felt like I am not a ghost not being able to affect my surroundings. Its very difficult to find therapy where im from, its even more difficult when you tend to try to go for it and then run out of stamina to try. But ine plus is when i get injured i am very able to stay collected. If my arm is hurt it looks to me as some one else's arm is hurting.

[@shindig9000]

I would really love to hear the spiritual side of disassociation like you mentioned in the video. I'd prefer that over the alcohol and smoking addiction lecture.

[@pio_o]

this guy's saving my life holy shit

[@princessodonata2729]

Dr K - Thank you SO MUCH for this video!! The people you are speaking to in this video are the same people who are heartlessly bullied and harrassed by the awful Fake Disorder Cringe subreddit community. Bullying and harassment never solve anything. This video brings compassion and help to those who struggle with mental health. Thank you again so much.

[@robertbrenton6833]

Now I'm worried cause I gravitate towards necromancers...

[@Sentinel_White]

Oh no....😅

[@ragerequiem6323]

Thank you for this! I deal with occasional bouts of strong dissociation where I feel nearly separated from my body. I feel like this helps me understand what is happening and possibly gives me a path forward. I wonder if you have anything that you are able to speak on regarding aphantasia, or the total inability to form images in ones mind.

[@--...--...--...]

There's a strong possibility that I need to work on my patience, but I feel it'd be a nicer experience to advertise external/tertiary aspects about HealthyGamerGG's programs in a more consolidated format that doesn't clutter your streams - it could be turning new people away just as much as it could be interesting to returning viewers. As a long-time viewer, I find them cumbersome; thats just my opinion, though. Still love yah, Doc ❤

[@lilladybug137]

I would greatly appreciate a detailed video on DID. I do not believe a guide could be made for it. It is such a complex thing. Even experiencing it is…impossible to grasp. I think interviewing people with DID and ESPECIALLY those closely related to those people would be incredible and interesting to others.

[@iota-09]

I just know that i look at myself in the mirror and go 'huh, that's right, that's what i look, kinda forgot about that" And have 0 conception of what might drive people to "love themselves" to the point i can't see anything that would deprive me of things (time, money, physical abilities) for visual identifiers that i cannot see myself as a good trade in just about any possible context, it's just inconceivable to me, like a deaf person trying to understand why audiophiles spend so much money on audio systems, except for me is nornal people and self-care beyond health reasons

[@gothcatnyc7480]

Just a quick comment regarding the recovery projection for BPD - these percentages are based on cases that are working all of the therapy/DBT actively and consciously, non stop. If it wasn't said, it is worth noting that our average mortality rate is 45x the typical humans, 27 is said to be the average age we reach, with an average of 20 years less life expectancy than the typical humans due to physical maladies/chronic physical illness from extended elevated stress levels. We may go into remission but it never goes away completely, and it can relapse if not consciously managed. But we can get better! Happy BPD Awareness/Mental Health Awareness May!

[@almonddonut1818]

Oh my goodness this is just what i need

[@timefortee]

Thanks so much for covering CPTSD (in the earlier stream) and dissociation! Dissociation is both a (huge) blessing and a (at times handicapping) burden to bear.

[@jscire__872]

This is so fascinating. It’s kinda like a neurological picture of how Internal Family Systems/parts work or DID works. Physiological compartmentalization in action. IFS specifically may have a somewhat poetic way of phrasing the same thing but it’s all physiological: all the meditative parts of it, and the defensive mechanisms like dissociation specifically, and the unresolved, emotionally loaded memory parts of it. We’re all low key just dissociating bambis on a savannah slowly being eaten by the lion of our lives 😁 brains are wild

[@snow86241]

I don't know why I can't finish this podcast XD I keep falling asleep through it, I've done it twice now XD

[@Cclovercollectiive]

2:37:16 DID >>>> alcohol & nicotine addiction properties etc. deeper complex topics >>>>> E for everyone topics I think if there was a decent interest for an influx in these more complex topics would be a good thing to start implementing because I understand always welcome the newcomer and I think HG has done that VERY well over the last few years. Maybe start with once a month or once bimonthly plan for a lecture like this. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, there is sooo much more to get into though when it comes to the more complex stuff giving more routes and information for viewers to explore in their own & the HG team will have endless content options because many things have been mentioned superficially and more in depth. The fact of the matter is these types of talks will go on forever because people are always learning and teaching, more and more.

[@connorholmes8786]

48:26 this compartmentalization/fragmentation of self causing our ability to move throughout the world to be problematic is definitely a lot of what caused my most recent self sabotage shuffle & downward spiral

[@Cyber_K3L]

From 1:04:30-ish re: PCC, so is this why when you have a cognitive bias, you keep trying to pull up (episodic) "evidence" to self-reinforce the bias? Is cognitive bias like a mini-dissociation in which you try to use logic because you've detached your emotions from the subject (because they and/or pain were overwhelming) -- and because you've detached your emotions, you can't process them, which causes you to keep re-visiting the subject, which then by repetition causes it to gain salience and therefore you keep trying to figure it out more, and end up trapped in a self-reinforcing cycle and obsessing over figuring it out because you can't feel it so you don't trust your intuition nor can you accept the logic? Incredibly important lecture - loved it!

[@breezon]

i’d like to see a stream or just something on coercive control, especially in regards to a relationship between a child and a coercive parent.

[@nayantarasamtani6746]

Dr. K is the real life Mcdreamy cause with his channel he's truly saving some lives today!

[@JennapherLawson]

I experience this from severe brain injury from hemorrhage. This is incredibly helpful to me, because it has been extremely difficult to explain and illustrate, but I am maybe fortunate that I CAN observe it in myself. It's unfortunate that it's after the fact. LOL IT's a maddening experience.

[@malechex611]

1:05:00 this is a real thing! a few years ago when I was deep in a dissociative episode, I kept startling myself in mirrors because for a few seconds I literally did not recognize my own face. it gave me an incredibly uncanny and alarming feeling of someone I didnt know being in my house