What is the coping mechanism that some clients may use in response to overwhelming emotions?

Dissociation is a coping mechanism that involves a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory. When individuals experience overwhelming emotions, they may resort to dissociation as a way to detach from the emotional pain or distress they are feeling. This can manifest as feeling detached from one’s body, experiencing memory lapses, or feeling as though the environment is unreal. It serves as a protective mechanism to help individuals cope with trauma or intense emotional experiences by creating a sense of distance from those feelings.

Rationalization, minimization, and suppression are all different coping strategies. While these methods may also help individuals manage their emotions, they do not involve the same level of disconnection from reality as dissociation. Rationalization involves justifying behaviors or feelings with logical reasons rather than engaging with the emotional truth. Minimization entails downplaying the significance of an emotional experience, and suppression involves consciously pushing feelings out of awareness. Each of these serves as a mechanism to manage emotions but lacks the dissociative element that characterizes the correct answer.