Dissociative amnesia is a memory disorder typified by sudden episodes of memory loss, occurring over long periods of time. It pertains to the inability of recollecting essential personal information which will not ordinarily be lost during ordinary forgetting.

This may stem from a variety of reasons, but mostly from traumatic events in the past. As this is classified as a non organic psychological disorder, treatment involves using drugs to discover the cause of the amnesia.

Causes

Dissociative amnesia is related to excessive stress, which can be caused by traumatic events such as war, abuse, accident, or disaster that the sufferer has gone through or witnessed.

It can also be the result of tremendous internal conflict such as turmoil over guilt-ridden impulses, apparently unresolvable interpersonal difficulties and criminal behaviour.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of this memory disorder are that you are greatly unable to remember personal information about yourself, even simple self-knowledge such as your identity.

Some suffers become very upset while others remain disinterested. Those who are not aware of their amnesia but are present for psychiatric help may have been brought by their loved ones.

Persons with amnesia typically have trouble in forming and maintaining relationships.

Diagnosis

Should you exhibit the aforementioned symptoms, the doctor will begin a complete evaluation by performing medical history and physical exams.

The doctor uses various diagnostic tests such as neuroimaging, electroencephalograms (EEGs) or blood tests to rule out neurological or other illnesses or medication side effects as the cause of the symptoms.

If no physical illness is found, you might be sent to a psychiatrist or psychologist who will use a specially designed interview to determine whether you have dissociative amnesia.

Treatment

Treatment often involves making an aggressive attempt to find out what (if any) traumatic event triggered the amnesia.

To recover your memory, a supportive environment is needed and from time to time specialists will carry out hypnosis or a drug-induced hypnotic state.

However, information gained under the influence of drugs or hypnosis can be distorted and mixed with fantasy; hence, this is not considered a scientific method in garnering accurate evidence.

Prevention

Despite the impossibility of avoiding dissociative amnesia, it is helpful to begin early treatment in persons who exhibit visible symptoms.

Immediate intervention after a traumatic event or emotionally upsetting experience can help decrease the chances of getting a dissociative disorder.

This article first appeared in hellodoktor.com. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.