Diagnosis for Character with Apparent Amnesia + Delusion

[toastedcheese]

My story is set in an imagined world more-or-less identical to the contemporary U.S. My character wakes up believing that he's a medieval lord. He's forgotten his "real" life, only recognizing his parents and partner because they're the doubles of his medieval self's parents and best friend. The identity swap is actually magic, not mental illness,

Comments

[witchofnovember]

Is he speaking modern English? If he's speaking Chauserian(sp?) English they might think he is aphasic which would change their diagnosis.

[toastedcheese]

Good question - yes, his speech is modern, not archaic. I edited the post to indicate this.

[volkhvoi]

He'd certainly be having a bad case of culture shock!

They might be wondering what the trauma was that made him resort to this delusion.

[moon_custafer]

I don't know if real psychiatrists diagnose Fuge State that often or if it's considered more of a movie plot device among professionals.

The closest real-life case I can think of off the top of my head was written up by a psychiatrist in the 1950s, but it might be of some help: http://harpers.org/archive/1954/12/the-jet-propelled-couch/

[toastedcheese]

Thanks for the link; not a perfect parallel but still interesting!