To prevent misdiagnosis, medical and mental health professionals need to evaluate an individual suspected of having dissociative amnesia. It should never be assumed that one’s symptoms are due to a mental illness, because there are diseases and conditions that can seriously affect memory.
History and physical – Everyone who suffers from amnesia isn’t mentally ill. There could be a physical reason for memory loss; therefore, physical illnesses or other underlying conditions will need to be ruled out as a possible cause for the patient’s symptoms before a diagnosis of a mental illness can be made.
DSM – Mental illnesses are not like physical illnesses. The doctor can’t take an X-ray or do a blood test to make a diagnosis. Dissociative disorders and other forms of mental illness must meet certain criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. The diagnosis of dissociative amnesia will be rendered by a mental health professional. The doctor will compare the individual’s symptoms with the symptoms listed in the DSM-IV to confirm or deny the presence of dissociative amnesia.
How is dissociative amnesia treated?
A person suffering from dissociative amnesia may feel extremely conflicted. The goal of treatment is to relieve suffering, while allowing the individual to unlock the memories and express them, while feeling safe to do so.
Psychotherapy – In psychotherapy, an individual will be encouraged to verbalize internal conflicts, so he/she can gain insight into what is causing the dissociative amnesia.
Cognitive therapy – Cognitive therapy helps an individual change how he/she thinks, which will result in a positive change in how he/she will feel about certain situations. An individual will be able to develop new coping skills, so that he/she may improve relationships with family, friends and associates. By learning new coping skills the individual will be able to restore his/her memories and express and process those memories in a healthy way.
Family counseling – Sometimes it is helpful for the entire family to go into therapy to help all the family members to relate to each other in a healthy way. When a family member has a mental illness, it affects the entire family in some way. Family counseling can help family members to better understand what their loved one is going through. Family members are more likely to be more understanding and compassionate when they understand what their loved one is feeling.
Medication – Dissociative disorders are not actually treated with medication. However, a person who suffers from the anxiety associated with dissociative disorders can be significantly helped with medications.
Clinical hypnosis – The goal of clinical hypnosis is to gain relaxation and concentrated awareness. Hypnosis isn’t used to treat everyone with dissociative amnesia, because this treatment is somewhat controversial. Some doctors feel that clinical hypnosis may create some false memories.
Creative therapy – The goal of creative therapy is to explore one’s thoughts through music, art, writing and other creative activities. Working on a project or hobby can be extremely therapeutic.
Conclusion
There is no way to prevent dissociative amnesia and other dissociative disorders. Most people, who seek help for their condition, will eventually remember the forgotten memories and be at peace with them. The sooner one seeks help from a mental health professional, the sooner the individual can feel better and get on with his/her life in a healthy manner.
Sources:
Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders
Cleveland Clinic
New World Encyclopedia
