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Dissociative Amnesia - Dissociative Amnesia Symptom, Cause, Treatment
Dissociative amnesia is one type of amnesia which is mentally disturbanc. Amnesia is the total or partial inability to recall recent or remote experiences Dissociative Disorders are characterized by a disturbance in the previously cohesive and unified functions of identity, memory, consciousness, and/or perception of the environment. Dissociative disorders are mental illnesses that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, consciousness or awareness, identity and/or perception-mental functions that normally operate smoothly.
Symptoms of Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative Fugue is one or more episodes of amnesia in which the inability to recall some or all of one's past and either the loss of one's identity or the formation of a new identity occur with sudden, unexpected, purposeful travel away from homeThe most common symptom of dissociative amnesia is memory loss. A dissociative disorder is the breakdown of one's perception of his/her surroundings, memory, identity, or consciousness. Specific symptoms include:
- The predominant disturbance is sudden, unexpected travel away from home or one's customary place of work, with inability to recall one's past.
- Confusion about personal identity or assumption of a new identity.
- The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
Causes of Dissociative Amnesia
A dissociative fugue may be present when a person impulsively wanders or travels away from home and upon arrival in the new location is unable to remember his/her past. A dissociative amnesia may be present when a person is unable to remember important personal information, which is usually associated with a traumatic event in his/her life. People with dissociative amnesia usually have one or more memory gaps spanning a few minutes to a few hours or days. Dissociative amnesia has been linked to overwhelming stress, which might be the result of traumatic events-such as war, abuse, accidents or disasters-that the person has experienced or witnessed.
Treatment of Dissociative Amnesia
Treatments may include the following:
- Psychotherapy — This kind of therapy for mental and emotional disorders uses psychological techniques designed to encourage communication of conflicts and increase insight into problems.
- Cognitive therapy — This type of therapy focuses on changing dysfunctional thinking patterns and the resulting feelings and behaviors.
- Medication — There is no medication to treat the dissociative disorders themselves.
- Family therapy — This kind of therapy helps to teach the family about the disorder and its causes, as well as to help family members recognize symptoms of a recurrence.
- Creative therapies (art therapy, music therapy) — These therapies allow the patient to explore and express his or her thoughts and feelings in a safe and creative way.
- Clinical hypnosis — This is a treatment method that uses intense relaxation, concentration and focused attention to achieve an altered state of consciousness (awareness), allowing people to explore thoughts, feelings and memories they may have hidden from their conscious minds.
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