Difference Between Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Fugue

Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Fugue are two different types of dissociative disorders between which we can find a number of differences. Dissociative disorders are mental illnesses characterized by loss of memory, identity, awareness, etc. When an individual is diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, it can affect their daily routine as they disrupt the general activities of the individual such as work and even relationships. Dissociative Amnesia is a condition where the individual fails to remember important personal information. This is usually in relation to a traumatic experience where the person represses certain information. Dissociative Fugue, on the other hand, refers to a condition where the individual loses his identity temporarily and travels away from home. Some can even go to the extent of creating new identities. This highlights that Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Fugue are different from one another. Through this article let us examine the differences between the two disorders.

What is Dissociative Amnesia?

Dissociative Amnesia is a condition where the individual fails to remember important personal information. This is a bit different from amnesia because the information is still in the memory of the individual, but he fails to recall them. However, these information can be triggered by an event or else a particular surrounding of the individual. This can be caused due to traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, violence, accidents, wars or even natural disasters. When an individual faces a stressful or traumatic experience if the person blocks away the incident from his memory and tries to bury it this can lead to Dissociative Amnesia. Dissociative Amnesia makes the person forget not only certain parts of the event but also his personal information. Sometimes Dissociative Amnesia can be caused due to genetics. Dissociative Amnesia can be identified in individuals who fail to remember their past events and personal information. They can even suffer from anxiety and depression and feel confused.

What is Dissociative Fugue?

Dissociative Fugue can be defined as a condition where the individual loses his identity temporarily and travels away from home. An individual suffering from Dissociative Fugue is often confused about his identity. There is a possibility that such individuals would even create new identities. It is often difficult to identify whether the person is suffering from Dissociative Fugue or not as their outward appearance is normal. Such individuals may have difficulty in remembering their past experiences, are often confused about their identity, travel away from home all of a sudden, and are very distressed. This can also be caused due to stressful situations. This highlights that Dissociative Fugue is different from Dissociative Amnesia.

What is the difference between Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Fugue?

• Dissociative Amnesia is a condition where the individual fails to remember important personal information. This is usually in relation to a traumatic experience where the person represses certain information.

• Dissociative Fugue refers to a condition where the individual loses his identity temporarily and travels away from home.

• Individuals with Dissociative Fugue create new identities unlike those who suffer from Dissociative Amnesia.

 

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  1. Dissociative disorders by 04Mukti (CC BY-SA 3.0)