Dissociative Amnesia Treatment

A number of options are available to treat dissociative amnesia, that focus on developing coping skills, restoring normal functioning and improving relationships.

People with dissociative amnesia may gradually or suddenly recall their lost memories through treatment. The primary goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and regulate behavior due to lost memories. It is important l that the patient and their friends or family are safe when the patient attempts to reconnect their memories.

A number of options are available to treat dissociative amnesia, that focus on allowing the patient to safely process and express agonizing memories, develop coping skills, restore normal functioning and improve relationships. The treating physician will decide which treatment approach the patient may benefit from, depending on the severity of their symptoms. Progress and success depend on many aspects, including the person’s support from family and friends and their life situation.

When a patient recalls their memories, therapy can help them understand how trauma caused their amnesia or disrupted their life. The therapist guides the patient through a resolution of their issues that may help prevent further trauma in the future.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also referred to as talk therapy, is the most-used treatment for dissociative disorders, including amnesia. Mental and emotional disorder patients often use psychotherapy for treatment. This treatment uses psychological techniques intended to encourage communication about conflicts in the individual’s life. It may also allow the patient to improve their understanding of the underlying and surrounding problems.

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy is a specific subtype of psychotherapy, which focuses on changing the patient’s dysfunctional thinking patterns and their resulting behaviors and feelings. The therapist will work with the patient to find ways to reroute their thinking patterns to more positive and healthy thoughts.

Family Therapy

Family therapy helps to teach the patient’s family about the disorder and its causes. When the family members understand the disorder, it is easier for them to recognize symptoms of a recurrence.  Because the patients do not always know when it occurs, the family may begin to identify situations that are activating the amnesia state after it happens.

Creative Therapies

Creative therapies such as art therapy or music therapy may help to treat dissociative amnesia in patients. These types of therapies allow the individual to explore and express their thoughts in a safe yet creative environment.

Hypnotherapy

Clinical hypnosis is another treatment method used. This technique includes intense relaxation and concentration, which forces an altered state of consciousness, allowing the individual to explore thoughts and memories they may be hiding from their conscious minds.

EMDR

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a technique designed to treat people who have continuing nightmares, flashbacks and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. This treatment may be successful for individuals with dissociative amnesia. Meditation and relaxation techniques also may help individuals with dissociative amnesia.

Medications for Dissociative Amnesia`

There are no medications to treat the dissociative amnesia itself. However, some individuals with dissociative amnesia may also have symptoms of depression or anxiety. Medications, such as an antidepressant or anti-anxiety drugs, may help these individuals throughout their treatment.

Treating Dissociative Amnesia and Co-Occurring Conditions

When a patient experiences dissociative amnesia and substance abuse at the same time, the co-occurring conditions can create even more undesirable symptoms. The combination of disorders may compound distress and make diagnosis and treatment more challenging. The individual may be more likely to use drugs that have the potential to cause memory loss. Alcohol, opioids and anti-anxiety drugs are examples of substances that may cause drug-induced amnesia. The higher the dosage of substance the individual uses, the more likely dissociative amnesia is to occur.

Mental illnesses are common with addiction, especially depression and anxiety disorders. As a patient’s list grows, treatment of dissociative amnesia becomes more challenging. Treatment for substance abuse usually treats the amnesia, though it must be ongoing to prevent recurrence of use.

Treatment usually involves therapies to help the patient to set and achieve goals and to learn to use healthy coping and relaxation techniques. Patients learn to recognize their negative thinking patterns and behaviors and how to make positive changes removed from substance use and toward an understanding of the underlying trauma that caused the dissociative amnesia. Other treatment may include medications when appropriate, health and nutrition counseling and exercise.

If you or someone you love are struggling with a substance use or co-occurring disorder, The Recovery Village can help. A team of professionals offers a number of treatment programs for substance use and co-occurring disorders. Call and speak with a representative to learn more about which program could work for you.

Editor – Jennifer Kopf

Jennifer Kopf is a Florida-based writer who likes to balance creative writing with helpful and informative pieces. Her passion for helping people has translated into writing about the importance of treatment for substance use and mental health disorders. Read more

Medically Reviewed By – Krisi Herron, LCDC

Krisi Herron is an Adjunct Psychology Professor, a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a freelance writer who contributes to several mental health blogs. Read more