What Causes Dissociative Amnesia?

Dissociative amnesia is a rare type of disorder characterized by difficulty recalling autobiographical information, often developing after a stressful or traumatic event. A person with dissociative amnesia may struggle to remember key details about themselves and their life, including their name, date of birth, where they live or work, or significant events.

This article discusses dissociative amnesia, as well as its causes, symptoms, and treatment.

What Causes Dissociative Amnesia?

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the handbook used by mental health professionals to diagnose and treat mental health disorders, attributes the onset of dissociative amnesia to a highly stressful or traumatic event.

Examples of traumatic events can include, but are not limited to:

• Abuse (emotional, mental, physical, and/or sexual)
• Witnessing a traumatic event
• Surviving a natural disaster
• Sudden loss or death
• Surviving an accident or other near-death situation
  

Who's at Risk for Developing Dissociative Amnesia?

Factors that place a person at increased risk of developing dissociative amnesia include:

• Other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, borderline personality disorder, or other dissociative disorder
• Experiencing an extremely stressful or traumatic event
• Repeated exposure to trauma
• Interpersonal violence

Living through multiple traumatic experiences, especially those with greater frequency or intensity of violence, increases your risk of developing dissociative amnesia. Additionally, individuals with this condition have a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior.

Dissociative Amnesia Symptoms

The DSM-5 identifies the following criteria for dissociative amnesia:

• Inability to recall autobiographical information
• Lost information may be stressful or traumatic
• Confusion
• Detachment from self and others
• Significant impairment in various aspects of a person’s life (work, school, home, etc.)
• Distress related to memory loss
• One or multiple episodes

For someone to be diagnosed with dissociative amnesia, their symptoms cannot be better explained by a separate medical or neurological condition, substance use, or a different mental health condition. For instance, a psychologist or psychiatrist must rule out conditions such as dissociative identity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or acute stress disorder.

Gaps in memory related to dissociative amnesia can last for a few minutes, and in severe cases, continue for years. Memory loss associated with this type of amnesia can take a toll on the individual and their quality of life.

In addition, individuals with dissociative amnesia may experience changes to their cognitive functioning, memory, emotions, behavior, and identity.

How Is Dissociative Amnesia Diagnosed?

Diagnosing dissociative amnesia requires an evaluation from a healthcare provider. Primary care providers may be the first point of contact, but they may recommend you to a mental health professional as well.

To assess a person for dissociative amnesia, a provider will review a patient’s complete medical history, conduct a physical exam, and discuss the person's psychological history.

Medical testing can help healthcare providers rule out other potential causes like neurological conditions, sleep issues, or brain diseases. These tests can include:

• CT scan
• MRI
• X-ray
  
• Blood tests

It is also imperative to rule out other mental health conditions and substance use.

Treatment for Dissociative Amnesia

Treatment approaches for dissociative amnesia may vary based on each individual patient’s symptoms and presentation.

Ultimately, the goal of treatment for dissociative amnesia is to stabilize the patient. Once this occurs, a mental health professional and patient may discuss the possibility of recovering memories and addressing the trauma that may have contributed to amnesia.

Therapy is an important treatment strategy. A mental health professional may utilize:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help address thought patterns, trauma, and develop coping skills.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) targets triggers associated with stimuli and trauma-related symptoms.
• Psychodynamic talk therapy to explore conscious or unconscious themes that may be relevant.

Since there is no medication that specifically treats dissociative amnesia, a healthcare provider may prescribe medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or others.

Summary

Dissociative amnesia is a dissociative disorder defined by trouble recalling autobiographical information or events. The condition may cause significant impairment and disruptions in various areas of a person’s life.

Seeking evaluation from a medical or mental health provider is the first step in getting an accurate diagnosis and ruling out other possible causes. Treatment may involve a combination of medication and therapy to stabilize the individual before addressing factors that may contribute to dissociative amnesia.

A Word From Verywell

It can be frightening to experience dissociative amnesia or witness a loved one going through it. If you're living with dissociative amnesia, you may feel lost on how to cope with stressful or traumatic events and the symptoms that follow. Sharing your concerns directly with a healthcare provider can help you get diagnosed and be on your way to recovery.