Selective AmnesiaSelective Amnesia is a form of dissociative amnesia where someone cannot remember certain memories of a traumatic situation. Often times people suffering from selective amnesia have experienced a situation that their body will block out as a defense mechanism. The selective amnesia is the body’s way of coping with the situation.Selective Amnesia is one of the most common forms of amnesia. Like the name implies, there are only select memories that the person suffering from this form of dissociative amnesia can remember. This type of amnesia is extremely common in people who have experience physical or sexual abuse or another traumatic thing like a car accident. Those that suffer from selective amnesia may be able to remember details like where they were or even what they were wearing when the events happened, but may not be able to recall the exact event. This type of amnesia has been demonstrated in court rooms all over the US by witnesses to crimes or horrible acts who can not remember what took place. They may remember the events leading up the traumatic experience and everything after, but like a drinker’s blackout, they can’t remember what happened during a very specific place in time. While there is no known cure for selective amnesia, there have been many cases where the person will be able to recall the events, after a considerable amount of time has passed. This too may be their body’s defense mechanism wearing off, or that the brain has had time to heal. Some believe that selective amnesia can be broken through hypnosis. To date, most of these cases go uncured. While there are treatments that can help stimulate the brain, there is not a quick fix to open up one’s memories. And many are not willing to undergo surgery to bring traumatic memories, so the professionals will continue to research and rely on methods that have made small breakthroughs in the past. If you or someone you know is showing signs of selective amnesia, contact your doctor immediately. |