Dissociation check (DES-II)
For each experience, choose the percentage of time it happens to you — from 0% (never) to 100% (always).
This check uses the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) — 28 questions about experiences like losing time, feeling detached from yourself, or finding yourself somewhere without knowing how you got there. Everyone dissociates a little — getting lost in a film counts. This scale measures how often it happens.
Your answers stay on this device — nothing is sent or saved anywhere.
DocSana self-checks are for information only. They are screening tools, not diagnoses: only a licensed clinician can diagnose a mental health condition. Your answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to or stored by DocSana. We count visits to these pages with privacy-friendly analytics that use no cookies and never receive your answers or results. There is no advertising tracking on self-check pages. If you're in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if you're in immediate danger.
Common questions
What is dissociation?
Dissociation is a disconnection in how the mind handles experience — memory, identity, feelings, or surroundings can feel separated or unreal. Mild forms (daydreaming, highway hypnosis) are universal. Stronger forms, like losing time or feeling detached from your own body, are often the mind’s response to overwhelming stress or trauma.
What does the DES-II score mean?
Your score is the average of your 28 answers, from 0 to 100. General-population adults average around 5. Scores from 10 to 29 are above average; 30 and above is the high range clinicians use as the threshold for a full evaluation.
Is the DES-II a diagnosis?
No. It’s a screening tool. High scores suggest a fuller conversation with a clinician trained in trauma and dissociation — only they can diagnose a dissociative disorder.
Can dissociation be treated?
Yes. Therapy — usually trauma-informed and paced carefully — helps people feel more present and in control. Grounding skills are often a first step.
Who made the DES-II?
Dr. Eve Bernstein Carlson and Dr. Frank W. Putnam. They have given permission for the scale to be copied and reproduced for clinical and research use.
The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) was developed by Eve Bernstein Carlson, PhD, and Frank W. Putnam, MD. The authors have given permission for the DES to be copied, distributed, and reproduced for research and clinical use.
Related checks
Clinical review pending This page was written by the DocSana team and is awaiting review by a licensed clinician.