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What Is Dissociative Amnesia?
Dissociative amnesia is a condition that causes you to forget important information about your life.
Its typically brought on by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.
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Otherdissociative disordersinclude dissociative identity disorder and depersonalization/derealization disorder.
Dissociative amnesia is a relatively rare condition.
In severe cases, a person might completely forget their life history, their family, and friends.
They might even have apparently purposeful travel or confused wandering known as dissociative fugue.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Generalized Amnesia
Here, the memory loss affects significant parts of your life history and identity.
You might not remember your name, where you worked, or who your family and friends are.
This bang out is rare.
For instance, you might not remember details about a particular circumscribed period of time.
In most instances, the memories being blocked out are tied to significant trauma.
Memories before and after the event will remain intact.
Dissociative Fugue
Dissociative amnesia is typically resulting from witnessing or experiencing traumatic events.
A person with this form of amnesia might often travel unexpectedly and take on a whole new identity.
Psychotherapy
Different forms of psychotherapy are used to treat dissociative amnesia.
These symptoms typically include anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.
People with these symptoms might be prescribedanti-anxiety medicationorantidepressants.
This could either happen on its own or during treatment for the condition.
However, in some cases, memories are never recovered.
Coping with this condition involves understanding the condition, optimizing stress, utilizing supports, and seeking appropriate treatment.
MSD Manual Professional Edition.Dissociative amnesia - psychiatric disorders.
March 2021
Cleveland Clinic.Dissociative amnesia: symptoms, causes, management & treatment.November 23, 2020
NHS UK.Dissociative Disorders.
August 10, 2020
Nidirect.Dissociative disorders.
John Hopkins Psychiatry Guide.Dissociative Amnesia.
