Fugue state -

Dissociative fugue (psychogenic fugue, or fugue state) presents as sudden, unexpected travel away from one's home with an inability to recall some or all of one's past. Onset is sudden, usually following severe psychosocial stressors.

1. What causes a fugue state?
2. How common is fugue?
3. How long does dissociative fugue last?
4. What is the difference between dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue?

What causes a fugue state?

Causes. The onset of a dissociative fugue state is usually sudden and follows a traumatic or highly stressful event. Dissociative fugues are associated with difficult events, such as natural disasters and wars, as well as severe marital or financial distress, alcohol abuse, depression, and a history of child abuse.

How common is fugue?

Dissociative fugue is a rare disorder and data available indicate a prevalence of 0.2% in the general population [2,5]. The onset is often in adolescence or early adulthood [6]. Onset is usually sudden [3], and often related to traumatic or stressful life events [2,4,6].

How long does dissociative fugue last?

A dissociative fugue may last from hours to months, occasionally longer. If the fugue is brief, people may appear simply to have missed some work or come home late. If the fugue lasts several days or longer, people may travel far from home, form a new identity, and begin a new job, unaware of any change in their life.

What is the difference between dissociative amnesia and dissociative fugue?

Treatment of dissociative amnesia is aimed at the restoration of missing memories while treatment of dissociative fugue is focused on the recovery of memory for identity and events preceding the fugue.