A RARE PYSCHIATRY DISORDER - DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE

 A RARE PYSCHIATRY DISORDER -  DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE

Psychogenic fugue, later called “DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE “is one among the group of conditions called dissociative disorders. In Latin the word fugue means FLIGHT. The people with the fugue state loss their sense of personal identity and impetuously wander or travel away from their places of work and sometimes from homes temporarily. They frequently get into fix about who they are and might even create their new identities. On the outside, people with this state show no signs of illness, like odd behavior or strange appearance.

Dissociative disorders involve disruptions of memory, identity, conscious awareness and perception. If one or more of above functions is disrupted, symptoms can result. The symptoms can interfere with general functioning including social and work activities, relationships of a person.

Know the symptoms of DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE!

The person outward behavior appears normal and is difficult to recognize a fugue in progression. Symptoms might include the following.

 Incapability to recollect past events or important information from person’s life

 Unexpected and random travel away from the home

 Unsureness of their identity, may be presuming a new identity to cover up for the loss.

 Problems with daily activities / functioning (due to the fugue occurrence) and extreme distress / agony / suffering.

 

 

The causes of   DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE 

The fugue state has been associated to extreme stress, that would be the result of traumatic events like physical and mental abuse, disasters, accidents, or violence that the person has witnessed or experienced. Alcohol induced “BLACKOUTS” are caused due to use or abuse of alcohol and certain addictive drugs.

DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE prevalence 

Dissociative fugue is relatively RARE. When there occurs wartime or after a natural disaster the frequency of dissociative fugue tends to increase during stressful or traumatic periods. The prevalence of dissociative fugue has been estimated to be 0.2%.

How is the DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE ruled out? 

If the dissociative fugue symptoms are present, the doctors will begin an assessment many times by performing and out-and-out medical history and physical examination. Despite the fact that there are no laboratory tests to distinctively diagnose dissociative disorder, the doctor often recommend several diagnostic tests like electroencephalogram (EEG), blood tests and neuroimaging studies to diagnose physical illness or medication adverse events if so are presumed as the causes of symptoms of dissociative fugue. Precise conditions----comprising brain diseases (eg-epilepsy), head injury, sleep deprivation and drug and alcohol intoxication----symptoms similar to those of dissociative disorders, including amnesia(loss of memory) may be caused. A person might be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, health care professionals who are specially up skilled to diagnose and treat mental illnesses if no physical illness is found, the psychologists and psychiatrists uses exclusively designed interviews and assessment tools to assess a person for a dissociative disorders. 

What is the treatment for DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE?

The goal of dissociative fugue therapy is to assist the person in coming to terms with the stress or trauma that caused the fugue in the first place. Care also seeks to teach new coping mechanisms in order to avoid further episodes of fugue. The best treatment plan is determined by the person and the severity of their symptoms, but it will almost certainly involve a combination of following methods:

 Psychotherapy – The most common treatment for dissociative fugue is psychotherapy, which is a type of counseling. This therapy utilizes strategies that promote conflict communication and enhance problem comprehension. Cognitive therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on altering abnormal thought habits, as well as the emotions and behaviors that arise from them.

 Family therapy – This aims to inform the family about the condition and its causes, as well as to teach family members how to identify recurrence symptoms.

 Medications – There is no drug/medication that has been sown to cure dissociative disorders. If a person has depression or anxiety along with dissociative disorders, they may benefit from the medications like antidepressants, antipsychotic or anti-anxiety medications.

 Creative therapies – Creative therapy (art therapy, music therapy) enable patients to explore and convey their feelings and thoughts in a healthy and creative environment. 

 Clinical hypnosis – it is a therapy technique that involves deep relaxation, concentration, and concentrated attention to induce an altered state of consciousness (awareness) ,enabling patients to examine thoughts, emotions and memories that were previously concealed from their conscious minds. Because of the possibility of developing false memories, hypnosis for the treatment of dissociative disorders is controversial.

     

                      

What is the prognosis for DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE patients?

The majority of dissociative fugues are short –lived, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to several months. The condition always resolves on its own. As a result, the outlook is favorable, additional episodes of fugue may occur if the underlying condition is not addressed.

Is it possible to prevent DISSOCIATIVE FUGUE?

Although it is unlikely that dissociative fugue will be prevented, it may be beneficial to begin treatment as soon as symptoms appear. Furthermore, prompt intervention after a traumatic event or emotionally distressing experience can reduce the risk of dissociative fugue.

                                             By –T.JONI SHRUTHIKA

                                                                 (PHARM D)