![]() If a person experiences any type of memory loss, a general medical practitioner will perform a complete physical examination that may include brain imaging scans to rule out any physical cause for memory lapses. In extreme cases, the individual may move to a new location and take on a new identity if the fugue persists for more than a few hours. This person may wander around in a state of confusion. In a dissociative fugue, the individual cannot remember anything about their personal history or identity. It may also involve the loss of semantic and procedural memories, which are types of long-term memory that process ideas and concepts about common knowledge and how to perform actions or skills, respectively. General Dissociative AmnesiaĮxtremely rare, general dissociative amnesia involves an all-encompassing loss of memory regarding the past or a person’s complete identity. For example, if an individual experienced a bombing, they may have no memory about that specific moment but can recall the details from before and after the event. 6, 7 Thematic Dissociative AmnesiaĪlso referred to as localized amnesia, thematic dissociative amnesia occurs when someone cannot recall memories from a specified time period or past event. Genetic and environmental factors that contribute to dissociative tendencies are possible. Types, or Subtypes, of Dissociative Amnesiaįormerly called psychogenic amnesia, dissociative amnesia can be classified into three types: thematic, general, and fugue. Dissociative amnesia is a temporary response to a traumatic event and does not usually last long sometimes it lasts as little as hours or days. Unlike people who have traditional amnesia, where memories are unlikely to be recovered, those who have dissociative amnesia may recover their memories either in a trickle or all at once. Other symptoms of dissociative amnesia may include confusion, anxiety, and depression unattributable to another condition or to substance use. 2 Such memory loss may occur after a person experiences traumatic events such as natural disasters, violent crime, or war. Memories remain, but they are buried so deeply that they are inaccessible. Instead, memory loss occurs because of some type of psychological stress. The cause of memory loss experienced with dissociative amnesia is not physical. Affected memories can be of past events or of personal information regarding the individual’s identity. ![]() The primary symptom of any type of amnesia is memory loss. What Are Symptoms of Dissociative Amnesia? 3Ī significant difference between dissociative amnesia and traditional amnesia is that a person’s memories still exist in dissociative episodes but are buried as a result of psychological trauma rather than a brain injury or illness. ![]() 2 Individuals with dissociative amnesia also commonly have other psychological conditions, such as personality disorders. Research estimates suggest that about 1%–3% of the global population has this condition, and women are more affected than men. Memory loss that encompasses a large portion of an individual’s past or identity is known as general dissociative amnesia. Professionals refer to dissociative amnesia that is limited to a specific period as thematic. In the case of dissociative amnesia, a person is separated from a part of their memories. 1 A dissociative disorder separates an individual from a part of themselves. Dissociative amnesia is one of the three types of dissociative disorders listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition DSM-5).
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