What Is Dissociative Fugue?
6. Complications
While people tend to function very well while in a fugue state, they can experience severe emotional issues once they come out of it. They may feel disoriented and frightened at finding themselves in an unfamiliar place with no memory of how they got there. They may experience feelings of deep shame and entertain thoughts of self-harm as a result. Some may attempt to self-medicate with alcohol or illegal drugs, which can lead to addiction.
There can also be social complications of dissociative fugue. A person who has unwittingly abandoned a spouse while in a fugue state may meet and marry someone else. This can cause legal issues when the fugue eventually ends. A soldier who enters a fugue state and leaves his or her post may be labeled a deserter. Upon coming out of the fugue state, the soldier may be charged with a crime that he or she does not even remember committing.
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