Dissociative Fugue (DF; the word fugue is derived from the Latin word for flight) is diagnosed when a person "runs away from home" and has amnesia for his or her former life. The person with DF may assume a new identity, but the new identity does not coexist with the old, as in Dissociative Identity Disorder. As with other disorders, the condition must cause distress or impairment sufficient to support the diagnosis, and must not be caused by a medical condition or the effects of a drug. The person is wholly or partially confused about her or his identity. The amnesia is usually brought about by traumatic or stressful events, as in the case of Dissociative Amnesia, and recovery usually occurs within a few months at most. Sufferers should be sympathetically supported and gently encouraged to remember events connected with the past. As the trauma and stress subside, memories usually return, although the amnesia persists for long periods in a few cases. DF is rare. 

                                                                                                                                Last updated  12/19/03