Dissociative Amnesia

Dissociative amnesia definition

Dissociative amnesia is characterized by an inability to recall autobiographical
information that is inconsistent with normal forgetting. The amnesia may be
localized, selective, or generalized.

How dissociative amnesia works

Your mind blocks out important information about yourself creating memory gaps
o Often occurs to protect an individual from a past traumatic event
- Not the same as forgetting
o You still have the memories but cannot recall them

Three stages of memory

Encoding → Storage → Retrieval

Encoding

Your brain creates a memory

Storage

your brain stores your memory and tags it so you can find it later

Retrieval

One's ability to pull a memory from one's brain

Different processes that the brain relies on to create memories

Memory, consciousness, identity, emotions, perception, motor ability, behavior

________________ is when your brain shuts off one or more of these processes to protect yourself

Dissociation

With ____________________ this dissociation leads to memory loss

dissociative amnesia

Four criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder

1) Inability to recall autobiographical information, usually stressful or
traumatic, beyond regular forgetting
2) Symptoms cause significant functional impairment
3) Symptoms are not caused by substances or medical condition
4) Memory loss is not caused by another disorder

Retrograde Dissociative Amnesia

This dissociative amnesia affects one's ability to recall old memories

Anterograde Dissociative Amnesia

This form of dissociative amnesia blocks formation or storage of new memories

_____________ amnesia is more common than _______________ amnesia

retrograde ___________ anterograde

Localized Memory Loss

Memory loss affects everything within a specific timeframe of one's life

Selective Memory Loss

Memory loss affects one event or only specific types of events within a specific timeframe of one's life

Generalized Memory Loss

Memory loss affects everything within a longer period (Months to years)

Continuous Memory Loss

This is anterograde amnesia so memory loss occurs as this person makes new memories

Systematized Memory Loss

Memory loss that affects one particular topic or category to include people

Dissociative Amnesia Symptoms

Memory loss, lack of awareness, flashbacks, confusion or disorientation, relationship and trust issues, travel or wandering

Causes of Dissociative Amnesia

Childhood abuse, experiencing or witnessing violence, experiencing sexual violence, witnessing serious injury or death of another person or experiencing serious injury yourself or other life changing or traumatic events.

Risk Factors of Dissociative Amnesia

Trauma and genetics

Treatment of Dissociative Amnesia

Early on, "truth serum" drugs such as benzodiazepines were used to confront the traumatic events causing the amnesia (information learned from these drugs can often be fantastical). Hypnosis was used in a similar manner to truth serum drugs. And CBT helps reduce anxiety and cope with traumatic memories.

True or False: DA can often suddenly resolve itself with no known explanation

True