Dissociation Treatment in Dubai

Dissociation can involve feeling disconnected from your emotions, thoughts, memories, body or surroundings. It may occur as an automatic protective response to overwhelming stress or trauma and can range from emotional numbness and brain fog to experiences such as depersonalization and derealization.

Dr. Millia Begum works extensively with Complex PTSD and dissociative disorders at First Psychiatry Clinic in Dubai, providing specialist assessment and trauma-focused therapy for people experiencing dissociation.

Last medically reviewed: August 2026
Written and medically reviewed by: Dr Millia Begum, Consultant Psychiatrist (MRCPsych, DHA Licensed)

Contents hide

1 What Is Dissociation?

2 Why Does Dissociation Happen?

3 What Are the Symptoms of Dissociation?

4 What Are Depersonalisation and Derealisation?

5 How Do Different Therapies Understand Dissociation?

6 Does Dissociation Come From the Brain’s Chemicals?

7 Dissociation Self-Check

What Is Dissociation?

Dissociation is an experience of disconnection from aspects of yourself or your surroundings. This may involve feeling detached from your emotions, thoughts, memories, body or the world around you.

Dissociation can occur during overwhelming stress or trauma as an automatic protective response. Rather than remaining fully connected to an experience that feels too intense, the mind and nervous system may reduce awareness of emotions, sensations or what is happening around you.

Some people describe dissociation as:

“I feel like I am being pulled out of my own body.”
“Nothing around me feels real.”
“It feels as though I am watching myself from the outside.”

Dissociation exists on a spectrum. Brief experiences can occur in everyday life, while more persistent or severe dissociation can significantly affect memory, identity, relationships and everyday functioning.

Few examples of dissociation are
I feel like I am getting sucked out of my own body
I feel like nothing around me is real and everything seems robotic.
I am looking at myself from the outside, as if it is not my life

Why Does Dissociation Happen?

Dissociation can occur for different reasons. In trauma-related dissociation, it may develop when an experience becomes so overwhelming that the person cannot easily escape, change what is happening or remain fully connected to the experience.

When the brain and nervous system detect overwhelming threat, pain or helplessness, protective responses can occur automatically. For some people, this may involve becoming emotionally numb, mentally foggy, detached from the body or less aware of what is happening around them.

This can be understood as a survival response rather than something the person is consciously choosing to do. Experiences of being trapped, powerless or unable to escape may make dissociative responses particularly likely.

Over time, similar responses may sometimes be triggered by situations, emotions, sensations or relationships that remind the nervous system of earlier overwhelming experiences, even when the original danger is no longer present.

Dissociation can occur in people who have experienced prolonged childhood, developmental or relational trauma, including Complex PTSD.

What Are the Symptoms of Dissociation?

Dissociation can range from subtle experiences of disconnection to more pronounced changes in awareness, memory or sense of self. Symptoms can vary considerably between people.

Common experiences may include:

Feeling spaced out, foggy, blank or “not fully present”
Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
Forgetfulness or gaps in memory
Emotional numbness or feeling shut down
Feeling disconnected from your body
Feeling as though you are observing yourself from outside
Feeling that your surroundings are unreal, distant or dreamlike
Losing track of time
Feeling as though you are functioning on “autopilot”
Changes in sensory experience, such as sounds seeming distant or muffled
Experiences of different identity states in more complex forms of dissociation

Some of these experiences can also occur with anxiety, panic, depression, ADHD, sleep difficulties, medication effects or physical health conditions. A clinical assessment can help clarify whether the symptoms are related to dissociation or another cause.

What Are Depersonalisation and Derealisation?

Depersonalisation and derealisation are forms of dissociative experience. Depersonalisation involves feeling detached from yourself, while derealisation involves feeling detached from or experiencing unreality in the world around you.

Depersonalisation

People may experience:

Feeling disconnected from themselves or their body
A sense of observing themselves from outside
Emotional numbness or feeling “not fully here”
Thoughts or actions feeling unfamiliar or automatic
A sense of disconnection from feelings, identity or physical presence

Derealisation

People may experience:

Surroundings feeling unreal, dreamlike or distant
Other people seeming unfamiliar or somehow unreal
The environment appearing foggy or visually altered
Sounds seeming distant or muted
Time or space feeling altered
A sense that the world is strange or unfamiliar

People experiencing depersonalisation or derealisation usually recognise that this is a change in how they are experiencing themselves or the world. This distinction can be clinically important when differentiating dissociation from conditions involving impaired reality testing.

Mr X stops driving because each time he feels anxious about getting hit by a car. He starts to feel dizzy (a dissociative symptom), which gives him a sense of loss of control over his body. This then triggers a panic attack. In response, a fogginess (dissociative symptom) develops, which escalates the panic attacks further. This cycle becomes endless.

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How Do Different Therapies Understand Dissociation?

Different trauma therapies use different frameworks to understand dissociation. These models are not necessarily competing explanations; rather, they provide different ways of understanding and working therapeutically with experiences of disconnection.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) understands dissociation through the language of protective parts. A protective part may distance a person from emotions, memories or bodily experiences that feel overwhelming.

Rather than trying to eliminate the dissociation, IFS explores what the protective response may be trying to prevent or protect the person from. As greater internal safety develops, these protective responses may no longer need to work as intensely.

EMDR Therapy

In EMDR therapy, dissociation may be understood in relation to traumatic experiences that have not been fully processed or integrated.

Significant dissociation can also interfere with a person’s ability to remain sufficiently present during trauma processing. Assessment, preparation, pacing and appropriate modification of EMDR may therefore be particularly important when working with more complex dissociation.

When dissociation is present, EMDR therapy for trauma may need careful pacing, assessment and adaptation rather than immediately processing highly activating memories.

Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)

When dissociation is linked to unresolved shock or early trauma responses, DBR therapy may be considered as part of a broader trauma treatment plan.

Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) approaches traumatic experience by working with early responses to threat, including orienting, shock and subsequent emotional and defensive responses while helping the person remain sufficiently oriented to the present.

If you are looking for a CPTSD specialist in Dubai, please contact Dr Millia Begum at the First Psychiatry Clinic, Dubai.

Dr Millia Explains Dissociation of Trauma in this Video

Although these models use different languages, they share a common understanding: dissociation is usually a protective adaptation in the face of overwhelming stress. Therapy, therefore, focuses on helping the nervous system regain stability and safely process underlying experiences.

Does Dissociation Come From the Brain’s Chemicals?

Dissociation cannot currently be explained by a single brain chemical or neurotransmitter. Research suggests that trauma-related dissociation involves several interacting brain and nervous-system processes involved in threat, stress, pain and emotional regulation.

Research has explored the possible involvement of the brain’s endogenous opioid system and endocannabinoid system, including naturally occurring endocannabinoids such as anandamide (AEA) and 2-AG. These systems are involved in regulating stress responses, fear, pain and emotional processing and may contribute to some aspects of dissociative or shutdown responses following overwhelming stress.

However, the neurobiology of dissociation remains an evolving area of research. These mechanisms should therefore be understood as possible contributors rather than a complete explanation for why an individual experiences dissociation.

A Review of the Neurobiological Basis of Trauma-Related Dissociation and Its Relation to Cannabinoid- and Opioid-Mediated Stress Response: a Transdiagnostic, Translational Approach – PubMed

Read also about Dissociative subtype of PTSD– a concept developed by Dr Lanius and her team.

To work with a therapist specializing in PTSD in and around the Jumeriah area, contact Dr Millia Begum at the First Psychiatry Clinic.

DISSOCIATION · DUBAI

Frequently Asked Questions — Understanding Dissociation

Common questions about dissociation, trauma, assessment and treatment.

Is dissociation same as spacing out?

Not exactly. Brief zoning out or daydreaming can be normal. Dissociation usually involves a more noticeable sense of disconnection from emotions, memories, the body, identity or surroundings, and may occur in response to stress or overwhelming experiences.

When does dissociation become a problem?

Dissociation may need assessment when it is frequent, persistent or disruptive, particularly if it affects memory, relationships, work, daily functioning or the ability to remain present.

Can dissociation be a normal response?

Yes. Brief dissociative experiences can occur during stress, fatigue or emotional overload. They become more clinically significant when they are recurrent, difficult to control or interfere with everyday life.

What commonly triggers dissociation?

Triggers vary between individuals. They may include overwhelming stress, anxiety, emotional conflict, exhaustion, interpersonal situations or reminders of previous experiences. Sometimes the trigger is obvious, while at other times it may be difficult to identify.

How can I tell if I am dissociating rather than simply tired or distracted?

Dissociation may involve experiences such as emotional numbness, feeling unreal or detached, memory gaps, prolonged blankness or a sense of being disconnected from your body or surroundings. Because these experiences can overlap with other conditions, careful assessment can help clarify what is happening.

Can dissociation improve with treatment?

Yes. Many people experience meaningful improvement when the underlying contributors are understood and treatment is paced appropriately. The approach depends on the type and severity of dissociation and whether trauma or other mental health difficulties are also present.

Is it safe to process trauma if I dissociate easily?

Trauma processing may need to be adapted when dissociation is significant. Some people benefit from additional preparation focused on grounding, orientation, emotional regulation and the ability to remain sufficiently present before more intensive trauma processing is considered.

How long does dissociation last?

Dissociative experiences can vary considerably in duration, from brief episodes to longer periods of disconnection. Frequency and duration depend on the individual and the underlying difficulties.

Does medication help dissociation?

There is no medication specifically established as a treatment for dissociation itself. Medication may sometimes be used for associated difficulties such as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance or other psychiatric symptoms. Treatment decisions depend on the individual assessment.

What role can childhood trauma play in dissociation?

Dissociation can be associated with early or repeated overwhelming experiences, including neglect, abuse, frightening experiences or chronic relational stress. However, not everyone who dissociates has the same history, and assessment should consider other possible contributors as well.

Can dissociation be confused with ADHD or psychosis?

Yes. Some experiences may overlap with ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma-related conditions or psychosis. Dissociation often involves disconnection from experience, whereas psychosis may involve changes in reality testing. A careful clinical assessment can help distinguish between them.

Is EMDR therapy suitable if I experience dissociation?

EMDR may be used with people who experience dissociation, but treatment often needs to be carefully adapted. When dissociation is significant, additional preparation and stabilisation may be helpful before trauma processing begins.

How do I know if I need specialist assessment for dissociation?

Assessment may be helpful if you frequently feel unreal, detached, emotionally numb, lose time, experience memory gaps, or find it difficult to stay present in daily life. It can also help when you are unsure whether symptoms are related to dissociation, ADHD, anxiety, trauma or another condition.

How do I book an assessment for dissociation in Dubai?

Appointments with Dr Millia can be arranged through First Psychiatry Clinic in Dubai. You can use the booking details on this page to enquire about assessment, treatment options and current availability.

CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST · TRAUMA THERAPIST

About Dr. Millia

Dr. Millia Begum is a British-trained Consultant Psychiatrist and an expert trauma specialist with over 25 years of clinical experience in psychiatry and therapy.

She is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist™ and EMDRIA Approved Consultant™, a former EMDR researcher, and a former board member of the EMDR Association UK. She uses EMDR, Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) Therapy and is a Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist . She brings a compassionate, parts-informed approach to her work with clients in Dubai.

Appointments · Dubai