Short case example
During a trauma reminder, a patient feels unreal, loses track of time, and later cannot recall parts of the conversation.
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Formulation mechanism
A disruption or disconnection in memory, identity, emotion, perception, behaviour, body experience, or sense of self.
What matters now
Fit, function, and alternatives
Use sequence, function, patient language, and disconfirming evidence to decide whether this hypothesis adds explanatory value.
Across the formulation
Short case example
During a trauma reminder, a patient feels unreal, loses track of time, and later cannot recall parts of the conversation.
Formulation language
Dissociation appears to protect against overwhelming affect, but it may also interrupt integration and reduce present-moment agency.
Treatment implications
Prioritise grounding, orientation, and pacing before detailed trauma processing.