Dissociative Amnesia 299
(i.e., procedural knowledge). Generalized amnesia has an acute onset; the perplexity, dis-
orientation, and purposeless wandering of individuals with generalized amnesia usually
bring them to the attention of the police or psychiatric emergency services. Generalized
amnesia may be more common among combat veterans, sexual  assault victims, and indi-
viduals experiencing extreme emotional stress or conflict. 
Individuals with dissociative amnesia are fr equently unaware (or only partially aware)
of their memory problems. Many, especially those with localized am nesia, minimize the
importance of their memory loss and may be come uncomfortable when prompted to ad-
dress it. In systematized amnesia,  the individual loses memory for a specific category of in-
formation (e.g., all memories relating to on e’s family, a particular person, or childhood
sexual abuse). In continuous amnesia,  an individual forgets each new event as it occurs.
Associated Features Supporting Diagnosis
Many individuals with dissociative amnesia are chronically impaired in their ability to
form and sustain satisfactory relationships. Histories of trauma, child abuse, and victim-
ization are common. Some indivi duals with dissociative amnesia report dissociative flash-
backs (i.e., behavioral reexperiencing of trau matic events). Many have a history of self-
mutilation, suicide attempts, and other high -risk behaviors. Depressive and functional
neurological symptoms are common, as are depersonalization, auto-hypnotic symptoms,
and high hypnotizability. Sexual dysfunctions are common. Mild traumatic brain injury
may precede dissociative amnesia. 
Prevalence
The 12-month prevalence for dissociative amnesia among ad ults in a small U.S. commu-