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Mind Pilot Episode 96

In this episode of Mind Pilot, Dr. Jana Price-Sharps and Dr. Matthew Sharps dive into the subtle phenomenon of dissociation. For many first responders and veterans, "checking out" is a survival skill a way to push through a firefight or a traumatic call by temporarily removing consciousness from immediate physical reality. However, staying in that disconnected state long after the mission ends can lead to poor decision-making and the tendency to ignore failing health or strained relationships while repetitively claiming "it’ll be fine". Join us as we discuss how to move from a vague "gestalt" perspective to a "feature-intensive" analysis of your life to ensure you stay engaged and healthy.

Topics Covered

• Understanding Dissociation: It is essentially "checking out" of reality, where your mind becomes diffuse to help you cope with stress or high-arousal situations.
• The "It'll Be Fine" Red Flag: Repetitively saying "it’ll be okay" is often a sign of a dissociative response used to ignore serious problems in your health, finances, or relationships.
• Tactical Origins: This mental state is a survival skill that allows you to ignore pain during a mission, but failing to "reconnect" afterward leads to long-term injuries and "black hole" thinking.
• The Solution: Combat dissociation by spending 10 minutes on your day off to perform a "feature-intensive" check-in on your sleep, family, and physical body.

Purchase - Dissociation and Belief: The Psychology of Why Things Go Horribly Wrong and What to Do About It 

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