FUGUE STATE

A fugue state is a rare condition in which memory and identity are temporarily lost. It is associated with trauma or stress. “Fugue” derives from a word meaning “flight” or “escape.” Someone in a fugue state usually wanders away from home, having forgotten who he is and sometimes finds a new identity. The person may return to his original self in a different place with no memory of how he got there. The condition may reverse spontaneously. The old identity returns with no recollection of the fugue state. The condition may last for as long as several months. This disorder is often used as a plot device.