Dissociative Amnesia Case Study

When a loved one in your life is suffering from dissociative amnesia, it can be devastating to witness. Your loved one may not remember important events or people in his or her life and may experience confusion or disorientation on a daily basis. If you are confused about how you can help, know that the best support you can provide is helping your loved one get professional help. Learn how to be a support factor in the life of someone suffering from dissociative amnesia.

[[Category:Mental Disorders]]

== Steps ==

===Offering Your Support===

#Get your loved one to quality treatment. Help your loved one find a reputable health professional whom you trust and know that your loved one is comfortable with. In the case of dissociative disorders, it

Expect distress from the patient at times over the memory loss and be ready to reassure.Merck, Dissociative Amnesia, http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec07/ch106/ch106c.html

#*Protect the patient from self-harm or neglect.

#*Ensure as much family and friend contact as possible.

#*Find ways to help the patient feel happy and useful.Dr Pamela Stephenson Connolly, ' 'Head Case: Treat Yourself to Better Mental Health ' ', p.221, (2007), ISBN 978-0-7553-1721-9

#Encourage your loved one to join a support group. Suggest that your loved one join a local or online support group or community of individuals who are going through a similar experience with dissociation. Talking about what he or she is going through can help this person feel less alone and provide practical strategies for dealing with dissociation.

#*Carefully research any support group beforehand to ensure that it is highly structured and sets personal boundaries between participants. Less organized groups that include people with varying levels of trauma or dissociation may sometimes prove unhelpful; therefore, doing adequate research ahead of time is a good idea.http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/dissociative-disorders/what-can-help/#.VuCKb30rLcc

===Developing

#*Grounding techniques help the dissociated person reconnect with the present environment. Tactics may include touching something, smelling something with a strong odor, or drinking water or tossing cold water on his or her face.

#*Mindfulness meditation improves mental awareness of the present moment. If terrible thoughts or feelings occur, the individual can practice mindfulness by orienting his or her attention to slow, deep breathing, sensations in the environment, or by noticing how different parts of his body feels.

#*Visualization allows a dissociating person to use his or her mind to draw up a safe and peaceful place. When upsetting thoughts, feelings, or images arise, he can imagine that he is in a safe place which helps with coping.

#Look after yourself and your family. It is hard looking after someone who suffers from dissociative amnesia. Don 't neglect your own emotional needs. Seek support if you feel that you 're not coping very well.[[Image:Help Someone Suffering from Dissociative Amnesia Step