How is dissociative amnesia diagnosed?

How is dissociative amnesia diagnosed?

If a patient has symptoms of dissociative amnesia, the doctor will perform a complete medical history and physical examination. Although there are no laboratory tests to diagnose dissociative disorders, the doctor might use blood tests or imaging (X-rays, CT scans or MRIs) to make sure the patient doesn’t have a physical illness or side effects from a medication.

If the person doesn’t have a physical illness, they might be referred to a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or psychiatric social worker. This caregiver performs a clinical interview to get a full picture of the person’s experiences and current functioning. Some psychiatrists and psychologists may use specialized tests or a standard interview such as the Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociation (SCID-D).