When is "Check-out" Time?
How often do you “check out?” I would imagine that it’s much more than you are actually aware of. And you know what? That’s not always such a bad thing.
If you’ve ever driven somewhere stone-cold sober and arrived at your destination questioning how you got there, or what the drive was like, then you have most definitely clocked out early. Sometimes, that process is something as simple as daydreaming: planning out future vacations or imagining what you might do if you won the lottery. Now, not being mindful when you’re driving is not recommended, but it’s one of the most common times for people to take a little mental hiatus.
Yet, on a deeper and more serious level, we may also define this behavior by a more scientific term: dissociating. There are many reasons that one can go into a dissociative state. Sometimes, it is by choice and at times it can be a very primal response to fear. But, whatever the reason, there are ways to ensure that this lapse in mindfulness can be used to benefit your health.
Dissociation can occur when your body feels the need to protect itself from something overwhelming, dangerous, scary and uncomfortable. We often hear about people “leaving their bodies” during some type of trauma event. We don’t have much control over this response, but it is certainly useful when trying to shield our current self from an event that we don’t know how to process in real time.
We can also feel disconnected and “check out” when we are bored. This takes us into fantasyland and can help spark a little creativity when we most need it. You can tell when you have left the planet for a bit when you experience one or both of the following:
· Depersonalisation - Feeling disconnected from your own body.
· Derealisation - Feeling disconnected from the world around you.
When you learn to harness the ability to separate yourself from reality, it can be a powerful tool to problem-solve creatively and think outside of the box. But, only if you feel as though you can control how long you are checked out for!
On the flip side, it is important to notice the signs that the dissociation is potentially destructive:
· Amnesia: memory loss. You might lose your memories of things that have happened to you.
· Identity confusion - You might not have a sense of who you are.
· Identity alteration - This means your identity may have changed. You might remember your old identity or not.
· Loss of feelings.
· Losing control of your body movements.
If you have been experiencing any of the above, please make sure to keep track of those experiences, and potentially seek the advice of a mental health professional. One can learn to control the frequency of dissociation and learn to manage it to create a healthier experience.
Under these stressful times, it is likely that all of us are daydreaming a bit more than we’d care to admit. But, remember, when used to help you think creatively and it can be a great tool to combat boredom. Mindfulness is always the goal, but it’s valid to want to escape every once in a while!
