Subspace vs Dissociation

[Eido]

I have recently wondered about this: is subspace the same thing as dissociation? The articles I've read, because I've only asked this question to search engines and not actual people, have been educational. A couple substack articles by authors who claim mental health provider experience, and more by scene practioners point out they are different but related. A few reddit posts by persons surprised by what their mind did in their scene.

A little bit is made about the intention of the experience, like, you might scene because you want to experience subspace (which is a very flexible term definition wise) but you might dissociate because you weren't ready to experience what you did or the experience dredged up something unpleasant or unremembered.

If you have experience or insight into this question, I'd love to read about it.

Thanks,
Eido

[flightfrock]

That distinction is one of the most interesting—and often confusing—aspects of intense psychological and somatic experiences. The overlap between subspace and dissociation is huge because, on a physiological level, they rely on similar brain-body mechanisms, but they feel vastly different from the inside because of context, safety, and agency

[flightfrock]

During high-intensity, high-vulnerability, or ritualized scenes, your body releases a heavy chemical cocktail (endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and adrenaline). This cocktail acts as a natural opiate snowrider