Q: It's normal to not realize when you're dissociating. Luckily, it's easy for the people who care about you to notice, as you'll likely appear as though you're in a daze. Ask them to help you recognize when this happens. You could say, "I know that I tend to dissociate when things get rough, but it's hard for me to notice when I'm doing it. Can you tell me if I look spaced out?" This will help you recognize when you're having episodes. Write down the symptoms you experience, as well as what was happening at that time. Keep in mind that dissociation occurs on a spectrum, with daydreaming or zoning out while driving along a familiar road being minor dissociative experiences. On the opposite end of the spectrum is dissociative identity disorder, which is a serious condition. Common symptoms include: Feeling mentally detached, spaced out, or not present Absent-mindedness or mind-wandering Perceiving the world as being unreal (known as derealization) or your sense of self as distorted (known as depersonalization) Observing your body as an "outsider" Emotional numbness and being unable to express how you feel Excessive fatigue or sleepiness Experiencing delayed reactions to life events This will help you identify episodes so that you can try to stop dissociating. Pay attention to your thoughts, sensations, and feelings. You should also notice triggers that occur often, as this will help you identify what is causing your dissociative episodes so that you can overcome them. Ask yourself these questions: How do I feel? For example, you might feel detached, foggy, or like you're floating above the situation. What am I thinking? You might have trouble forming thoughts or find that your mind has gone blank. What's happening right now? You might identify what's stressing you out. Journaling is a great way to work through your emotions and cope with difficult experiences. Not only can journaling help you keep track of your episodes and learn to process them, it can also help you process your past. Write in your journal every day. Document your everyday life, your feelings about the past, and your dissociative experiences. When you do notice an episode, record what lead up to it and how you felt. In some cases, you might choose to bring your journal with you to your therapy sessions, if you go to therapy. Although mild detachment is generally a normal psychological response to stressful situations, some people can experience this condition chronically and for a longer period of time. Severe and prolonged dissociative episodes can be symptomatic of mental illness; thus, you should consider talking to a mental health professional if you are genuinely struggling with your experiences. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition), conditions in which dissociation is a prominent symptom include: Depersonalization disorder occurs when you feel detached from your life or yourself. Dissociative amnesia occurs when you forget parts of your life, often to mask a trauma. Dissociative fugues occur when you forget who you are and also travel to a new, unfamiliar location. Dissociative identity disorder (DID) occurs when your mind splits into separate, individual personalities as a response to extreme trauma. Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS) is diagnosed when you experience symptoms of dissociation but don't meet the requirements for diagnosis for any particular disorder.
A: Ask for help identifying when you dissociate, if necessary. Watch for common symptoms of dissociation. Notice how you feel when you dissociate. Keep a journal to help work through your experiences. Understand that there are different kinds of dissociation.

Article: Spend time each day clearing your head through meditation. Choose a meditation technique that works for you, and find a quiet space away from any distractions. The goal of your meditation is to be present and mindful of your current life and avoid dwelling on the pain or negativity. Consider using a guided meditation if you are new to meditation. Practicing deep breathing reduces cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol is the hormone that your body creates when you are stressed. Deep breathing will also help to reduce your blood pressure. This will help you feel better physically and emotionally. When you are healthier and feel better, you can focus on the positive more easily. Counter the negative stress in your life by adding something positive to your life. Take the time that you spend having negative thoughts and channel that energy into something positive and productive. This will also create less time to have negative thoughts. Volunteer at a local food bank or non-profit organization. Consider new job possibilities if you current job is too stressful. Join a club or a local sports team. Your outlet should be something that you enjoy doing. Anything from exercise to art can help you let go of stress. You can also use your outlet as an opportunity to meet and interact with new people. For example, you might take an art class or spend time with new friends at the gym.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Learn how to meditate. Use deep breathing exercises. Do something positive. Find an outlet to release stress.

Q: The family will want to know a little about you, and will definitely ask what kind of experience you have with kids. They might get into more specific questions, too, like how you'd respond if their kid was crying or throwing a fit. Using your prior experience, come up with some good answers to these kinds of questions so you come to the interview confident and prepared. You want to show the parents that you're punctual. They don't want to hire a babysitter that will show up 15 minutes late to the job and make them miss their dinner reservations. You can ask to bring your parent or guardian inside for the interview, telling the family that your parents wanted to meet them before you watch their kids. You can also ask your parent or guardian to give you a ride and have them wait outside in the car. This is an especially important safety tip if you don't know the family and are meeting at their house. You could also ask to meet in a public place, like a coffee shop. Talk about ways you'll keep their kids entertained and safe. Mention your experience doing typical babysitter jobs, like giving kids baths, cooking for them, and putting them to bed. Give the family the phone numbers of a few families you've babysat for in the past, and invite them to call to get an idea of your skills. Remember to confirm with your references before you give out their contact information. Introduce yourself and shake the parents' hands. If their kid(s) are there, bend down and say hi to them too. Sit up straight, make eye contact, and smile during the interview. Show that you're eager for this job and can handle yourself like an adult. Ask them what a typical day in their house looks like, and what kind of things you'd be expected to do as their babysitter. You want to make sure your expectations are in line before you both agree to the job. You could ask, for example, "Will I be cooking for Jimmy when you're out?" or "Will you need me to stay past 11 pm very often?" Tell them if you have sports practice, play rehearsals, or other activities on certain days of the week. Although it might feel awkward to do this in your very first meeting, it's important that they know what your schedule is before they start asking you to come over on days where you have prior commitments. For example, you could say, "I want you to know upfront that I have soccer practices on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I probably won't be able to babysit on those days." If this is your first babysitting job, ask for $8-$10/hour. If you have references or extra qualifications, like CPR or first aid training, ask for a few dollars more. If you're taking care of multiple kids at once, you can also ask for a little more, around $10-$15 per hour. You can base your rate on the area you live in. If you live in an expensive city, it's completely acceptable to charge higher rates. If people in your area typically have lower incomes, you'll likely need to charge less.
A:
Prepare answers to a few typical questions. Arrive a few minutes early. Ask a parent, guardian, or a trusted friend to come with you. Talk about your experience and provide references. Be confident, polite, and mature. Ask a few questions about their kids. Be honest about your availability. Ask for a reasonable rate.