What are other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Psychogenic Amnesia

What is Dissociative Amnesia? (Definition/Background Information)

• Dissociative Amnesia is when an individual loses their memory or cannot recall specific information about their life. The erased or lost information can include the following:
  • The individual’s personal information such as name, address, birth date, etc.
  • Important events from the individual’s past
• Dissociative Amnesia may occur as a result of a traumatic event leading to retrograde amnesia, where certain memories prior to the event are forgotten. The age and gender distribution in the population is unclear, but some statistics indicates that it affects women more than men
• There are many risk factors for Dissociative Amnesia, including the presence of other mental disorders and being in stressful situations. The exact cause of Dissociative Amnesia is not clearly explained, but many healthcare professionals agree that injuries and stress play a major part in its development
• The signs and symptoms of Dissociative Amnesia include loss of memories and personal information, and possibly altered personality in the individual. A major complication with Dissociative Amnesia is that the individual forgets who they are/were
• The primary treatment for Dissociative Amnesia is psychotherapy, sometimes known as talk therapy. It is also important to seek help and support from close family members and friends. In some cases, the lost memories may return on their own without any treatment
• The outlook for an individual with Dissociative Amnesia is mostly good, since the disorder is not life-threatening; and, some individuals are known to recover completely. However, it can be disruptive if the individual’s memories never return

Who gets Dissociative Amnesia? (Age and Sex Distribution)

• Dissociative Amnesia can occur in individuals of any age group past infancy 
• Some studies show that the group of dissociative disorders, which includes Dissociative Amnesia and dissociative identity disorder, is more often seen in women than men. Approximately, 2.6% of women and 1% of men reportedly have a dissociative disorder
• The distribution among racial and ethnic groups is not clearly recorded

What are the Risk Factors for Dissociative Amnesia? (Predisposing Factors)

The risk factors for Dissociative Amnesia include:

• Any dangerous activities that could result in head injuries, especially those performed without wearing protective gear or a helmet
• Having other mental disorders that affect the brain, specifically brain areas associated with memory and personality, such as the hippocampus, thalamus, or frontal cortex
• Being in or around areas of stressful or traumatic events 

It is important to note that having a risk factor does not mean that one will get the condition. A risk factor increases one’s chances of getting a condition compared to an individual without the risk factors. Some risk factors are more important than others. 

Also, not having a risk factor does not mean that an individual will not get the condition. It is always important to discuss the effect of risk factors with your healthcare provider.

What is the Cause of Dissociative Amnesia? (Etiology)

There are multiple factors that are thought to be the cause of Dissociative Amnesia. These factors include:

• Stress or traumatic events in the individual’s life can lead to Dissociative Amnesia as a way to cope with the event/incident. Examples of such events include:
  • Death of someone close to the individual
  • Natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornados
  • Abuse that may be physical, sexual, or mental
  • Exposure to war
  • Automobile accidents
• Injuries to the head: Degeneration or scarring of brain areas involved in memory (such as the hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and other areas)
• Having family members/relatives with a dissociative disorder; it is believed that this factor may increase one’s risk for Dissociative Amnesia

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Dissociative Amnesia?

The signs and symptoms of Dissociative Amnesia can be split into two categories - loss of memories and taking up a new identity (fugue).

• Loss of memories can involve a specific period of the individual’s life, or his or her entire life. The individual will typically forget:
  • Personal information about themselves such as their name, birthdate, address, family members, etc.
  • Significant events from the past such as birthdays, wedding, etc.
  • Certain time periods
• The loss of memory may be localized (such as pertaining to a specific incident or period or person) or generalized (such as loss of major portion of one’s memory, one’s identity, family details, etc.)
• In some cases, the individual will take on a new identity. This usually occurs after the individual has forgotten all of their personal information; they have no recollection of their earlier life

A major difference between Dissociative Amnesia and other forms of amnesia is that individuals with Dissociative Amnesia are not worried or upset about their lost memories.

How is Dissociative Amnesia Diagnosed?

• A healthcare professional will begin a diagnosis with a physical examination of the individual and evaluation of their medical records
• If Dissociative Amnesia is suspected, the healthcare professional will eliminate other possible conditions that present similar symptoms
• X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, EEG, and/or blood/urine tests, to rule out other physical illnesses or medication side effects are performed, as needed
• Determining whether or not an individual’s signs and symptoms are due to Dissociative Amnesia is difficult and may require a specialized test such as the Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociation (SCID-D)

Many clinical conditions may have similar signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider may perform additional tests to rule out other clinical conditions to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.

What are the possible Complications of Dissociative Amnesia?

• The effect of losing one’s memories and possibly changing identities can be disruptive to an individual’s life and is the most severe complication of Dissociative Amnesia
• During the period of amnesia, individuals may be unable to work or function normally (day-to-day work), due to confusion about their surroundings and roles/duties
• Strained personal, family, and social life
• If the cause of Dissociative Amnesia is an injury, the complications associated with head trauma may be expected such as headaches, tiredness, and difficulty sleeping (including other injuries, if any)

How is Dissociative Amnesia Treated?

The treatment of Dissociative Amnesia is geared at helping the affected individual regain his/her lost memories, on creating new ways of dealing with stressful/difficult situations and changing the way he/she perceives their life.

• This particular form of treatment is termed psychotherapy or talk therapy. There are many different subtypes of talk therapy that focus on different aspects of the individual’s signs and symptoms
• The treatment also focuses on attempting to return the individual’s life back to normalcy; from their present mental state and to improve their relationship with others

A variety of treatment options are available that include:

• Psychotherapy: A general term to describe person to person interaction that helps an individual to overcome their problems
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Bringing about changes to thinking patterns or behavioral patterns that are deemed to be harmful to the individual or others
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing - treating nightmares or flashbacks related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Dialectic behavior therapy: Psychotherapy for extreme personality disturbances
• Family therapy: To seek help from family members; to work together and cope with their loved one’s disorder
• Creative therapies: Examples are therapies, such as music or art, which help the person in expressing themselves in a better manner
• Meditation or relaxation techniques - it can help the affected individuals in becoming aware of their current state (of mind)
• Clinical hypnosis - uses relaxation and concentration to help individuals reach a heightened state of consciousness
• Medication: There may be benefits to taking certain antidepressants, although there are no specific medications available to treat dissociative disorders

The recovery from Dissociative Amnesia can be greatly enhanced with the support of one’s family and friends.

How can Dissociative Amnesia be Prevented?

It may not possible to prevent Dissociative Amnesia, but one may reduce the risk for the same considering the following:

• Dissociative Amnesia that is caused by a dramatic event may be prevented, if the affected individual promptly seeks out a healthcare professional to discuss how to the deal with the outcome of the event
• Avoiding dangerous activities that could lead to head injuries can help prevent Dissociative Amnesia caused by head injury; using suitable safety wear and helmets while performing certain activities are beneficial
• Individuals should be aware of any family history of mental illnesses that may lead to degeneration of the brain and potentially Dissociative Amnesia

What is the Prognosis of Dissociative Amnesia? (Outcomes/Resolutions)

• The prognosis for Dissociative Amnesia is generally good. The condition typically goes away after proper treatment or on its own, in some cases
• It is also critical to treat any associated condition that the individual may have, such as substance abuse, in order to aid in a complete recovery
• Each individual is affected differently, and hence, the time to regaining one’s memories varies from one case to another. But, it is best to begin treatment immediately following a diagnosis of Dissociative Amnesia, as this may greatly improve the chances of the memories returning sooner
• In some cases, the memories may never return, making it difficult for the individual to return back to their earlier (regular/normal) life

Additional and Relevant Useful Information for Dissociative Amnesia:

• Dissociative Amnesia is classified as a dissociative disorder
• Oftentimes, Dissociative Amnesia can occur with other mental disorders