Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Fugue in a 20-Year-Old Woman With Schizoaffective Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Dissociative amnesia is memory loss that cannot be explained by a neurological abnormality or typical forgetfulness. It belongs to the rare class of psychiatric ailments known as dissociative disorders. It can be accompanied with dissociative fugue where the individual travels or wanders away from home. This is a case of dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue in a 20-year-old woman with schizoaffective disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dissociative amnesia associated with dissociative fugue is an even more rare phenomenon. This case is unique in that the patient also suffered from schizoaffective disorder and it demonstrates how dissociative disorders can be comorbid with a psychotic disorder. The amnesia itself offered antipsychotic and mood-stabilizing properties as the loss of memory eliminated her psychosis and mood instability.