Selective dissociative amnesia, also named “patchy amnesia” due to affecting some memories but not others, refers to the inability to remember a precise characteristic of an event or certain events that occurred during a particular time of the patient’s life.

State University of New York at Albany

Memory loss is the main symptom of dissociative amnesia, and it has various forms. Some patients may experience one form while others may experience multiple forms. These forms are:

* Generalized dissociative amnesia.
* Localized dissociative amnesia.
* Continuous dissociative amnesia.
* Selective dissociative amnesia. 
* Systematized dissociative amnesia.

Forms of Dissociative Amnesia 

Drescher, J. (n.d.). What Are Dissociative Disorders? American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/dissociative-disorders/what-are-dissociative-disorders

Dissociative Disorders Reference 

Dissociative Amnesia. (2023, September 18). Cleveland clinic. Retrieved March 11, 2024, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9789-dissociative-amnesia

Dissociative Amnesia Reference

Localized dissociative amnesia is the most prevalent form of dissociative amnesia, and it refers to the inability to recall a certain event or a period in the patient’s life.

Localized Dissociative Amnesia

Selective Dissociative Amnesia

Generalized dissociative amnesia refers to the forgetfulness of the patient’s own identity and years or months of life events.

Generalized Dissociative Amnesia

Continuous dissociative amnesia refers to the anterograde form of dissociative amnesia, meaning that it prevents the formation of novel memories, and this memory loss would be taking place during the occurrence of the events. 

Continuous Dissociative Amnesia

Systematized dissociative amnesia is a form that impacts all aspects of a precise subject. Likewise, it can be applied to a certain individual or group of people, such as the patient’s family.

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