1. Dissociative Amnesia

2. Dissociative amnesia, formerly called psychogenic amnesia, is one of a group of conditions called dissociative disorders.
Dissociative disorders are mental illnesses that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, consciousness, awareness, identity, and/or perception.
When one or more of these functions is disrupted, symptoms can result. These symptoms can interfere with a person's general functioning, including social and work activities, and relationships.
Dissociative amnesia is not the same as simple amnesia, which involves a loss of information from memory. With dissociative amnesia, the memories still exist but are deeply buried within the person's mind and cannot be recalled.
However, the memories might be recalled under the same circumstances.

3. What Causes Dissociative Amnesia?
Dissociative amnesia has been linked to overwhelming stress, which might be the result of traumatic events -- such as war, abuse, accidents, or disasters -- that the person has experienced or witnessed.
There also might be a genetic link to the development of dissociative disorders, including dissociative amnesia, since people with these disorders usually have close relatives who have had similar conditions.

4. Who Develops Dissociative Amnesia?
Dissociative amnesia is more common in women than in men. The frequency of dissociative amnesia tends to increase during stressful or traumatic periods, such as during wartime or after a natural disaster.

5. What Are the Symptoms of Dissociative Amnesia?
The primary symptom of dissociative amnesia is the sudden inability to remember past experiences or personal information. Some people with this disorder also might appear confused and suffer from depression and anxiety.

6. How Is Dissociative Amnesia Diagnosed?
If symptoms of dissociative amnesia are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by performing a complete medical history and physical exam. Even thought no lab test that specifically diagnose you with D.A the doctor might use various diagnostic like X-rays and blood tests, to rule out physical illness or medication side effects as the cause of the symptoms.
Certain circumstances like brain diseases, head injuries, drug and alcohol abuse, and lack of sleep can lead to symptoms like those of dissociative disorders, including amnesia.
If no physical illness is found, the person might be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses.
Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to diagnose a person for a dissociative disorder

7. How Is Dissociative Amnesia Treated?
The first goal for dissociative amnesia treatment is to relive the symptoms and to control problematic behavior. This treatment is aimed to help the person be able to express their emotions in a positive way and process painful memories safely. There is no “best treatment” because each individual is different with different levels of severity. He are some therapies:
Psycotherapy: this treatment uses psychological techniques designed to encourage communication which helps increase insight into the initial problem.
Medication: There is no medication to treat the dissociative disorders themselves. However, a person with a dissociative disorder who also suffers from depression or anxiety might benefit from treatment with a medication such as an antidepressant or anti-anxiety drug.
Family therapy: This kind of therapy helps to teach the family about the disorder and its causes, as well as to

8. Clinical hypnosis: This is a treatment method that uses intense relaxation, concentration, and focused attention to achieve an altered state of consciousness, allowing people to explore thoughts, feelings, and memories they may have hidden from their conscious minds. The use of hypnosis for fixing dissociative disorders is controversial due to the risk of creating false memories.
Family therapy: This kind of therapy helps to teach the family about the disorder and its causes, as well as to help family members recognize symptoms of a recurrence and to deal with it.
Creative therapies (art therapy, music therapy): These therapies allow the patient to explore and express their thoughts and feelings in a safe and creative way.

9. What can be expected for their future?
A person’s future with D.A depends on a lot of things, this includes their life situation, support system and the persons response to the treatment. .
For most people with dissociative amnesia, memory returns with time, so for the most part it is good. In some cases, however, the individuals are never able to retrieve their buried memories.

10. Can Dissociative Amnesia Be Prevented?
Although it may not be possible to prevent dissociative amnesia, it might be helpful to begin treatment in people as soon as they begin to have symptoms. Immediate intervention after a traumatic event or emotionally distressing experience can help to reduce the likelihood of dissociative disorders.

11. VIDEOOO!!!