DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA

Dissociative Amnesia

Inability to recall important personal information, usually traumatic or stressful in nature.

Generalized Amnesia

Complete loss of memory, including identity (rare).

Localized/Selective Amnesia

 Inability to recall specific traumatic events.

Dissociative Fugue

Memory loss + unexpected travel away from home, sometimes with new identity.

Prevalence & Course

• Appears after adolescence, rarely after age 50.

• Can persist into old age.

• Most prevalent dissociative disorder: 1.8% – 7.3% of the population.

• Fugue states are usually temporary, but involve identity disruption

Running Disorders

•  (similar to fugue but culturally specific):

  • Amok (Southeast Asia) → violent trancelike state, assaults, often with no memory after.

  • Pivloktoq (Arctic) → sudden flight/trance.

  • Frenzy Witchcraft (Navajo).

Trance/possession states

• Common in India, Nigeria, Thailand, Asia, and Africa.

• Attributed to spirit possession, often culturally accepted.

In the U.S., seen in African American prayer meetings, Native American rituals, Puerto Rican spiritist sessions, Bahamian traditions (“falling out”).

Distinction from Cognitive Disorders

• Cognitive disorders (e.g., dementia): Involve biological brain impairment → consistent memory loss.

• Dissociative amnesia: Stress/trauma-related, often reversible, selective, tied to psychological processes.

Key Takeaways

• Most common dissociative disorder.

• Usually selective memory loss for trauma; generalized amnesia is rare.

• Dissociative fugue involves flight + possible new identity.

• Culturally influenced presentations (e.g., amok, trance, possession).

• Triggered by stress/trauma, not neurodegeneration.