A Fugue state is a state of mind characterized by abandonment of personal identity, along with the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of individuality. In Psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store retain and subsequently retrieve information The Fugue state is a condition of Dissociative Fugue (formerly Psychogenic Fugue) (DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders 300. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition Text Revision, also known as DSM-IV-TR, is a manual published by 13[1]).
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The etiology of the fugue state is related to Dissociative Amnesia, (DSM-IV Codes 300. Etiology (alternatively aetiology, aitiology) is the study of causation. Psychogenic amnesia, also known as functional or dissociative amnesia, is a disorder characterized by abnormal memory functioning in the absence of structural Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition Text Revision, also known as DSM-IV-TR, is a manual published by 12[2]) which has several other subtypes[3]: Selective Amnesia, Generalised Amnesia, Continuous Amnesia, Systematised Amnesia, in addition to the subtype Dissociative Fugue[1].
Unlike retrograde amnesia (which is popularly referred to simply as "amnesia", the state where someone completely forgets who they are), Dissociative Amnesia is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e. Retrograde amnesia is a form of Amnesia where someone will be unable to recall events that occurred before the onset of amnesia Psychogenic amnesia, also known as functional or dissociative amnesia, is a disorder characterized by abnormal memory functioning in the absence of structural g. , a drug of abuse, a medication, DSM-IV Codes 291. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition Text Revision, also known as DSM-IV-TR, is a manual published by 1 & 292. 83) or a neurological or other general medical condition (e. g. , Amnestic Disorder due to a head trauma, DSM-IV Codes 294. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition Text Revision, also known as DSM-IV-TR, is a manual published by 0)[4]. It is a complex neuropsychological process[5].
As the person experiencing a Dissociative fugue may have recently suffered the reappearance of an event or person representing an earlier life trauma, the emergence of an armoring or defensive personality seems to be for some, a logical apprehension of the situation.
Therefore, the terminology fugue state may carry a slight linguistic distinction from Dissociative Fugue, the former implying a greater degree of motion. For the purposes of this article then, a fugue state would occur while one is acting out a Dissociative Fugue.
The Merck Manual [6] defines Dissociative Fugue as:
In support of this definition, the Merck Manual [6] further defines Dissociative Amnesia as:
It has been estimated that approximately 0. 2 percent of the population experiences Dissociative Fugue, although prevalence increases significantly following a stressful life event, such as wartime experience or some other disaster[6]. Other life stressors may trigger a Dissociative Fugue, such as financial difficulties, personal problems or legal issues. The causes of Dissociative Fugue are similar to those of Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Identity Disorder. Psychogenic amnesia, also known as functional or dissociative amnesia, is a disorder characterized by abnormal memory functioning in the absence of structural Dissociative Identity Disorder ( DID) as defined by the American Psychiatric Association 's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM Dissociative fugue is often mistaken for malingering, because both conditions may occur under circumstances that a person might understandably wish to evade. Malingering is a medical and psychological term that refers to an individual fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders However, Dissociative Fugue occurs spontaneously and is not faked. Malingering is a state in which a person feigns illness because it removes them from accountability for their actions, gives them an excuse to avoid responsibilities, or reduces their exposure to a known hazard, such as a dangerous job assignment. Many fugues seem to represent a disguised wish fulfillment (for example, an escape from overwhelming stresses, such as divorce or financial ruin). Other fugues are related to feelings of rejection or separation, or they may protect the person from suicidal or homicidal impulses.
Similar to Dissociative Amnesia, the Dissociative Fugue usually affects personal memories from the past, rather than encyclopedic or abstract knowledge. Psychogenic amnesia, also known as functional or dissociative amnesia, is a disorder characterized by abnormal memory functioning in the absence of structural A Dissociative Fugue, therefore, does not imply any overt seeming or "crazy" behaviour.
Some disorders have similar symptoms. The clinician, therefore, in his or her diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against the following disorders which need to be ruled out to establish a precise diagnosis: dementia, head trauma, substance intoxication, early symptoms of neurological disorders (eg multiple sclerosis) may resemble conversion symptoms[4]. Similarly, other psychological disorders may manifest symptoms similar to Dissocative Fugues. These include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Schizophrenia ( from the Greek roots schizein (σχίζειν "to split" and phrēn Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression
Most Dissociative Fugues last for hours or days or months, unresolved and may return. Dissociative Fugue is treated much the same as Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Identity Disorder, and treatment is therapy aimed at helping the person restore lost memories as soon as possible[4]. Psychogenic amnesia, also known as functional or dissociative amnesia, is a disorder characterized by abnormal memory functioning in the absence of structural Dissociative Identity Disorder ( DID) as defined by the American Psychiatric Association 's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM Most people who suffer Dissociative Fugues regain most or all of their prior memories; however, efforts to restore memories of the fugue period usually are unsuccessful.
The goal of treatment is to help the person come to terms with the stress or trauma that triggered the fugue. Treatment also aims to develop new coping methods to prevent further fugue episodes. The best treatment approach depends on the individual and the severity of his or her symptoms, but most likely will include some combination of the following treatment methods:
David Fitzpatrick, a sufferer of dissociative identity disorder from the United Kingdom, was profiled on Five's television series Extraordinary People. He entered a fugue state on December 22, 2005. [9]