fugue states

Last reviewed 01/2018

A Fugue involves the sudden travelling away from familiar surroundings during an amnesic episode.

A new identity may be briefly assumed during the fugue and such states usually only last a few hours to a few days. In rare cases they may last weeks, enabling the patient to move away, assume a new identity and on recovery, which usually occurs abruptly and completely, have no memory of recent events.

Fugues also occur in epilepsy, severe depressive disorders and alcoholism.