2. Our 3 Questions 1) Are there other names for this disorder? 2) What’s the difference between Psychogenic Amnesia and Amnesia? 3) What type of people are at higher risk?
3. Are there any other names for this disorder? Yes. Functional Amnesia Dissociative Amnesia Two types Global – sudden loss of personal identity Lasting a few hours to days Situation Specific – loss of memory occurs as a result of a severely stressful event Common in cases of severe or repeated trauma
4. What’s the difference between Psychogenic Amnesia and Amnesia? With dissociative amnesia the memories still exist but are deeply buried in the individuals mind and can not be recalled Normal amnesia is caused by a head injury which damage was done to the brain amnesia is physical disorder and not considered a mental disorder
5. What type of people are at higher risk? Individuals who are at a great risk of getting psychogenic amnesia are people who have experienced a traumatic event. Soldiers Victims of domestic violence, sexual / physical abuse Terrorist attacks Natural disasters Child abuse starting at a early age is linked to the disorder
6. Psychogenic amnesia falls under the category of dissociative disorders. What are dissociative disorders? Can be defined as: A condition which is often caused by trauma which a person disconnects from full awareness in order to block unpleasant realities or memories
13. Demographics Can appear in patients of any age past infancy. However, prevalence is unknown. Dissociative Amnesia is estimated at 0.2%, but it is much more common in connections with wars, accidents and natural disasters. Controversy among therapists regarding the increase in case reports of the disorder and the accuracy of the memories recovered. Psychiatrists in the Us and Canada have significantly different opinions of dissociative disorder diagnoses Only 30% of Canadian psychiatrists think that dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder should be included in the DSM -IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
14. Symptoms Difficulty recalling information from their past Most patients that suffer from psychogenic amnesia have suffered a history of trauma Depression The feeling of memory loss is often overwhelming Sudden inability to remember past experiences or personal information Appear confused
15. Therapies and Treatment Psychotherapy: Primary treatment Talk therapy, counselling, psychosocial therapy Talking about your disorder and related issues with a mental health provider Your therapist will work to help understand the cause of your condition and to form new ways of coping with stressful circumstances Medication: No specific medication to treat dissociative disorders Anti-depression/ anti-anxiety medication may benefit and relieve stress and anxiety that comes with the disorder
