fugue /fyo̅o̅g/ [L, fuga, running away] , a state of dissociative reaction characterized by amnesia and physical flight from an intolerable situation. During the episode the person appears normal and seems consciously aware of what may be very complex activities and behavior, but afterward he or she has no recollection of the actions or behavior. The condition may last for only a few days or weeks, or it may continue for several years, during which the person wanders away from the customary environment, enters a new occupation, and undertakes an entirely different way of life. The syndrome appears to be caused by an inability to cope with a severe conflict or with a chronically stressful life situation. A form of fugue also occurs briefly after an epileptic seizure. See also ambulatory automatism, automatism, dissociative reaction.
