What Is Dissociative Fugue?
Dissociative disorder occurs when one’s identity, actions, memories, thoughts, and surroundings lack continuity after a traumatic event. It is an involuntary defense mechanism that the mind uses to protect itself from extremely disturbing memories. Dissociative fugue is a particular type of dissociative disorder marked by memory loss and bewildered wandering or unexpected travel, sometimes under a new identity. The word “fugue” comes from the same Latin root as the word “fugitive,” and it means “to flee.” In a sense, then, a person with dissociative fugue is a fugitive trying to flee the painful memories of a traumatic event.
Due to its rarity and typical lack of observable symptoms, dissociative fugue is poorly understood. Family members, employers, and others close to the patient may assume that he or she is just pretending to have a psychological disorder in order to shirk responsibilities or escape minor life difficulties. However, the memory loss resulting from dissociative fugue is authentic, and a person who suddenly assumes a new identity because of it is genuinely convinced that that is his or her true self. There may be people who purposely mimic the symptoms of dissociative fugue for deceptive purposes, but doctors can usually tell the difference between a real dissociative disorder and mere malingering.
