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Dissociative

Dissociative amnesia

Inability to recall important personal information, usually related to a traumatic or stressful event, not explained by normal forgetting.

Common signs

Forgetting important periods or eventsLinked to traumatic experiencesDistress about the gaps

Tips

For you

  1. Rule out medical causes
  2. Trauma-focused therapy
  3. Don't force the memory

For family and friends

  1. Don't make them remember
  2. Go with them to a medical check-up to rule out physical causes

When to ask for help

  1. If they turn up somewhere without knowing how: emergency services
  2. If the person is at risk

Are you having a really hard time? If you're thinking of harming yourself, call 024 (free, 24 hours) or 112.

Guidance test

Answer thinking about the last few weeks. There are 8 questions and you get your result straight away. Your answers are not saved or sent.

0 of 8
1. I can't remember important periods of my life
2. The gaps are related to something painful
3. I find it hard to remember personal information
4. I've been told about things I did that I don't remember
5. Sometimes I find myself somewhere without knowing how I got there
6. The gaps aren't explained by alcohol or drugs
7. These gaps worry me
8. I struggle to get through the day

Free resources

Downloadable PDF sheetSigns, tips and resources to print or saveFree guide: Trauma and post-traumatic stressFree resource from Clínica Vivaldi

Related disorders

Dissociative identity disorderDissociativeDepersonalisation/derealisation disorderDissociative

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Reviewed by María Teresa Fernández Vicente, health psychologist and neuropsychologist (registration no. CV17304), in November 2026. Educational information prepared by the Clínica Vivaldi team based on the DSM-5-TR classification. It does not replace a professional assessment and cannot be used to diagnose.