‘Wait with me until it’s over’: what teens want you to know about dissociation

By Bronwyn Milkins, Postdoctoral Researcher in Youth Trauma and Dissociation, The Kids Research Institute Australia
Helen Milroy, Professor & Director, Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health (CAMDH), The University of Western Australia

You call your teen’s name, but they don’t respond. They’re staring past you. You call again, louder this time. Nothing – how rude.

But what if they’re zoning out?

For some teens, this can be a sign of dissociation, a temporary disconnection from thoughts, feelings, body or surroundings. It’s the brain’s way of protecting itself from overwhelming stress or emotion.

Dissociation is often linked to trauma – experiences that feel deeply distressing or life-threatening.

But…

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