Dissociative amnesia is a condition that specifically involves the breakdown of the memory or consciousness of an individual. They may lose specific memories with this condition or they might even lose an awareness of their identity. When this occurs, it can interfere with a person’s life in man ways, including work and social activities. Relationships are also disrupted because memory loss can eliminate any memory of any relationship.
Statistics About Dissociative Amnesia
1. Dissociative amnesia occurs in up to 7% of the general population.
2. A minimum of 2% of people in the US population have dissociative amnesia at any given time.
3. Up to 7% of people will experience at least one episode of this disorder during their lifetime.
4. There is a greater chance to experience dissociative amnesia when other factors, such as abuse, torture, or experiencing a natural disaster occur.
5. Trauma has a direct correlation with the development of dissociative amnesia.
6. 33% of the women who have been diagnosed with this condition experience some form of abuse and did not report it.
7. The percentage of women who have dissociative amnesia and experienced sexual assaults with their abuse: 68%.
8. About 16% of individuals who recalled the abuse admit that there is a time in their past where they could no longer remember about the abuse.
9. Complete memory loss is often seen in 20% of children who were sexually abused.
10. Domestic violence victims can experience partial memory loss in up to 13% of all cases.
11. The most common reason for dissociative amnesia to occur is because someone has witnessed the murder or suicide of someone they love.
12. Victims of sexual abuse experience partial memory loss 22% of the time. The same percentage also applies to the victims of physical abuse.
13. 16% of veterans who have either witnesses a combat injury or suffered one themselves have also experienced a partial memory loss.
14. It is more common for women to experience dissociative amnesia than it is for men.
15. For most people, the memories that are blocked will return over time when they are better able to cope with them.
16. It may not be possible to prevent dissociative amnesia from occurring.
17. An immediate intervention after a traumatic event has been shown to reduce the likelihood of any dissociative disorder from developing.
18. When dissociative amnesia strikes, people tend to lose a small window of time, usually just a few hours. It may be up to 2 days, however, in more extreme instances.
19. There are 5 distinctive patterns of memory loss associated with this condition.
20. Most patients diagnosed with dissociative amnesia have either localized or selective amnesia.
21. Only 30% of Canadian psychiatrists believe that this dissociative disorder should be included in the diagnostic manual without reservation.
22. The percentage of psychiatrists who believe that there is strong scientific support for dissociative amnesia: 13%.
Understanding of Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative amnesia tends to happen when a very stressful event occurs. This causes an individual to completely block out the traumatic event so that they can continue to function. The lack of recall is simply a side effect of the mind’s need to protect itself from something that is so overwhelming that exposure to it could actually destroy it. Because of this, the memory loss that someone experiences is more than just basic forgetfulness that can be solved when you enter a room again. Long-term memory gaps are common with this disorder.
Dissociative amnesia is also different from simple amnesia. Both conditions involve the loss of information, but simple amnesia is typically the result of a traumatic brain injury or disease. In the dissociative state, all of the memories still exist within the mind of the individual. The difference is that the memories will not resurface unless there is a specific trigger that is able to break them loose.
Anyone can develop dissociative amnesia, so building awareness of this condition is critical to its overall treatment. By knowing the statistics that are associated with the disorder, it becomes possible to recognize the difference between generic confusion and the depressive, fearful confusion that typically results when dissociative amnesia is present.
Understanding the Condition and Treatment
What makes dissociative amnesia such a devastating condition is that it can create a number of problematic behaviors. That’s why finding treatment options as soon as possible are part of the recipe of overcoming this condition.
The best treatment approach for this condition is based on the severity of the symptoms. It may be difficult for someone to express the painful memories that are causing the mental block. The development of new coping skills may become necessary to help facilitate a recovery. That’s why one of the primary treatment recommendations is cognitive therapy as it works to help change dysfunctional thinking patterns and the feelings that result from them.
There is no medication that can directly treat dissociative amnesia. Anti-depressants or anxiety medication may be prescribed for treatment of those associated conditions, but nothing is available to help remove the disassociation. Family therapy and psychotherapy have been proven to be effective in treatment, however, and creative therapies have allowed people to explore dangerous experiences in safe ways.
Another option that is growing in popularity is clinical hypnosis. Through the combination of concentration, intensive relaxation, and a focused attention, an altered state of consciousness can be achieved. This consciousness state allows someone with dissociative amnesia to be exploring the hidden recesses of their minds. The risk in doing this, however, is that false memories can be created that can add to the problem instead of work toward solving it.
The good news is that there is a positive outlook for those with dissociative amnesia. With continued support from loved ones and with treatment options available, memories can return with new coping skills in place to make them less bothersome. This can resolve behavioral problems, poor choices, and the other side effects that occur when dissociative amnesia is present.