Dissociative Fugue: “Who Am I Now?” Just before a new school year, 23-year-old teacher Hannah Upp disappeared. Intensive search efforts produced nothing, but then Hannah was seen at a Manhattan Apple store and, later, at a Starbucks. Hannah was finally rescued when a Staten Island Ferry crew saw her swimming almost a mile from shore—three weeks after she had initially disappeared. Hannah had no memories of the events following her disappearance, and was disturbed by her amnesia and flight. In an interview, she asked, “How do you feel guilty for something you didn’t even know you did? It’s not your fault, but it’s still somehow you. So it’s definitely made me reconsider everything. Who was I before? Who was I then—is that part of me? Who am I now?” (Marx & Didziulis, 2009) Although psychologists don’t understand what causes dissociative amnesia with dissociative fugue, a rare condition, stressful events are often implicated.

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