High-Functioning CPTSD: learned to look fine and function well, even as parts of you go numb or vanish when it gets too much.
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Many people with Complex PTSD (CPTSD) look like they’re “doing just fine” on the outside—managing school, work, family, and social life. But inside, they sometimes shut down like a power outage: they “die inside,” then carry on as if nothing happened. They often wonder if a part of them really did die, or when another part might come back to life. This is dissociation, one of the survival strategies left by complex trauma. Today, let’s talk about how it happens, what makes it unique, and what we can do about it.
6 Key Points: Understanding CPTSD Dissociation & Ways to Cope
Outwardly Functional, Inwardly "Gone"
You might seem calm and productive, but often zone out or feel stuck. That’s dissociation—a very real feeling of "leaving your body."
🧩 Try this: Ground yourself in the present. Feel your feet on the floor, smell something nearby, or hold ice. Gently "come back to yourself."
Small Triggers, Big "Shutdowns"
A tone of voice or a memory can suddenly make you feel numb or blank. These "small" things aren’t small—they tap into deep, long-held pain. Dissociation is your body’s way of protecting you when you’re overwhelmed.
🧩 Try this: In safe moments, notice when "a part of me feels gone." Learn what usually triggers you.
"Shut Down" Doesn’t Mean You Stop
You might still finish tasks quickly or smile brightly around others. This is "high-functioning dissociation": outwardly okay, inwardly switched off. The danger? You might not notice until you next crash.
🧩 Try this: Pause briefly each day. Take 1 minute to check in with your breath and how you really feel inside.
Only "Alive" When Safe
You feel real, present, and safe only with trusted people or in comforting places. Afterward, you might "shut down" again.
🧩 Try this: Create safe spaces—soft light, quiet, no interruptions. Remember past safe moments or people to anchor you.
Watching Life Like a Movie, Feeling Like a "Ghost"
You feel like an outsider watching yourself live—seeing yourself laugh or cry, but it doesn’t feel real. Like there’s a foggy wall between you and the world.
🧩 Try this: Practice feeling your body: notice your chest, belly, breath, or heartbeat. Slowly come back "home" to yourself.
Dissociation: Your Past Ally, Your Present Challenge
Dissociation helped you survive in the past. Now, it may block your emotions and connections.
🧩 Try this: Journal: "Right now I feel… Where am I?" Talk softly to yourself—it helps you return.
Healing Takes Time—Safety Comes First
Pushing too fast in CPTSD healing can make your body "check out." If you rush into deep work (like EMDR) without enough safe relationships and emotion regulation skills, you might dissociate more—or feel like therapy isn’t working.
🧩 Follow the 3-stage trauma approach:
Safety & Stability
Processing Memories & Feelings
Rebuilding Your Story & Self
Dissociation was the best way you knew to protect yourself. Now, in safety, it’s just a habit that no longer fits most situations. Healing starts when you learn why and when you dissociate. Remember: Slow is Fast.
Simple Daily Practice
Wake yourself up once a day: Feel your feet on the ground. Smell something nearby. Gently come back to your body.
When you feel that "dead-then-alive" shift, don’t fear it. See it as a reminder:
You’re worthy of being seen.
And dissociation? It’s just your oldest protector trying to care for you.
You’re not broken—you’re adapting. And adaptation can gently change.