DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA: SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, TREATMENT - ECONOMÍA - 2025

The dissociative amesia occurs when some important personal information is forgotten, which is usually associated with a stressful or traumatic event. Memory loss goes beyond normal forgetfulness and can include forgetting for long periods of time related to the traumatic or stressful event.

In this type of amnesia there is no loss of information due to a brain injury or disease, but the memory still exists. It can be said that memory is "blocked" in the mind of the person, being able to resurface from some stimulus such as a place or event.

It is more common in women than in men, and its frequency tends to increase during stressful periods, such as natural disasters or war.

Characteristics of dissociative amnesia

Dissociative or psychogenic amnesia is characterized by the presence of retrograde amnesia (inability to retrieve memories prior to the onset of amnesia) and by the absence of anterograde amnesia (inability to create new memories).

The main characteristic is that access to autobiographical memory is blocked, while the degree of blocking of short-term memory, semantic memory and procedural memory varies between different cases.

The memory lock can be:

• Specific to a situation, of a particular accident.
• Global loss, referred to long periods of time.

Symptoms

The main symptom of dissociative amnesia is the sudden inability to recall past experiences or personal information.

Some people with this disorder may also appear confused or have anxiety or depression.

Causes

This disorder has been linked to a high degree of stress that can come from traumatic events such as abuse, natural disasters, accidents or wars. The organic causes of amnesia can be difficult to detect, and sometimes physical and psychological triggers can be present at the same time.

Difficulty finding an organic cause may result in the conclusion that amnesia is psychological, although it is possible that some organic causes may be difficult to detect.

Unlike organic amnesia, dissociative or psychogenic seems to occur when there is no obvious structural damage or injury to the brain. Because organic amnesia is difficult to detect at times, distinguishing between organic and dissociative is not straightforward.

The main difference between organic and dissociative amnesia is that in the second there is a loss of biographical and non-semantic memory (meanings).

Diagnosis

Diagnostic criteria according to DSM-IV

A) The predominant disturbance consists of one or more episodes of inability to remember important personal information, usually an event of a traumatic or stressful nature, which is too broad to be explained from ordinary forgetting.

B) The alteration does not appear exclusively in dissociative identity disorder, dissociative fugue, post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, or somatization disorder, and is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (drugs or drugs) or to a medical or neurological disease.

C) The symptoms produce significant clinical discomfort or social, occupational or other areas of activity of the individual.

If there are symptoms of dissociative amnesia, the healthcare professional will begin an evaluation with the medical history and physical examination of the affected person.

There are no specific medical tests, although neuroimaging, EEG, or blood tests can be used to rule out other medical conditions or drug side effects.

Medical conditions such as brain injury, brain disease, lack of sleep, and alcohol or drug abuse can cause symptoms similar to those of this disorder.

If no physical causes are found, the person may be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist who has the experience and training to evaluate, diagnose, and intervene.

Treatment

The first goal of treatment is to decrease symptoms and control problems resulting from the disorder.

The person is then helped to express and process painful memories, developing new coping strategies, restoring normal functioning, and improving personal relationships.

The treatment model depends on the specific symptoms and the person's situation:

• Cognitive therapy: changing irrational or dysfunctional thoughts that result in negative feelings and behaviors.
• Medication: There is no specific medication to treat this disorder, although a person who also suffers from anxiety or depression can benefit.
• Family therapy: educate the family about the disorder, improve skills to adapt to it.
• Another type of therapy to help the person express their feelings and thoughts.
• Clinical hypnosis: includes intense relaxation and concentration techniques to achieve an altered state of consciousness, allowing the person to explore their thoughts, emotions and memories that they have been able to block from their conscious mind. Its use should be studied, since there are several risks such as the creation of false memories or the recall of traumatic experiences.

Forecast

The prognosis depends on several factors, such as personal situation, availability of support resources, and personal response to treatment.

In most people with dissociative amnesia, memory returns over time, although in some cases recovery is not possible.

Prevention

Prevention itself is not possible, although it is helpful to start treatment as soon as symptoms are observed.

Therefore, immediate intervention after a stressful or traumatic experience is important to reduce the possibility of such a disorder.

What is your experience with this disorder? I am interested in your opinion. Thank you!

References

1. Leong S, Waits W, Diebold C (January 2006). "Dissociative Amnesia and DSM-IV-TR Cluster C Personality Traits". Psychiatry (Edgmont) 3 (1): 51–5. PMC 2990548. PMID 21103150.
2. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
3. Markowitsch HJ (2003). "Psychogenic amnesia". Neuroimage. 20 Suppl 1: S132–8. doi: 10.1016 / j.neuroimage.2003.09.010. PMID 14597306.
4. Freyd, J. (1994). "Betrayal Trauma: Traumatic Amnesia as an Adaptive Response to Childhood Abuse." Ethics & Behavior 4 (4): 307–330.