Hello everyone! This is an installment of the Newspaper’s series on mental conditions and disorders. I find the variety of ways that the brain works to be extremely fascinating, so I have been exploring them. I hope you enjoy these presentations of my research. Many of these conditions are considered ‘disorders’ because they are different than what we are used to and could make operating in the world challenging. But, these conditions can cause reflection on what is ‘normal’ – both in terms of brain function and in terms of what we expect in society. If you have any questions or requests on topics, email me -> Hiruni Manawadu
Dissociative fugue is when the affected individual travels to a location for no apparent reason, and no recollection of going there once out of the fugue state. It’s extremely rare and extreme. It is tied to amnesia, dissociative identity disorder (go read our article on that!!), and traumatic experiences. When it occurs, people will usually feel somewhat foggy and out of their body, act confused, be unable to perform tasks, and have a disconnected sense of self. This fugue state can last from hours to possibly months. Recovery from this state is usually abrupt and complete, however some may gradually recover.