Ganser syndrome is a feature of

Ganser syndrome is a feature of ?
a) OCD
b) Conversion disorder
c) Dissociative disorder
d) Schizoid personality disorder
Correct Answer - C
Ans. is ‘c’ i.e., Dissociative disorder
Dissociative disorder
The essential feature of the dissociative disorder is a disruption in
the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity
or perception of the environment. Dissociative disorder are :-

  1. Dissociative (psychogenic) amnesia :- It is the most common type of
    dissociative disorder. Dissociative amnesia is characterized by
    retrograde amnesia (inability to retrieve stored memories and events
    leading up to onset of amnesia) and absence of antegrade amnesia
    (inability to form new long term memories).
  2. Dissociative fugue :- A dissociative fugue may be present when a
    person impulsively wanders or travels away from home and upon
    arrival in the new location is unable to remember his/her past (i.e.,
    amnesia for early life). There is loss of personal identity and the
    person assumes a new identity. There is absence of awareness of
    amnesia during fugue episode, i.e., Patient denies any memory loss
    during fugue state. On recovery there is amnesia for fugue episodes
    and recovery of memory of earlier life (i.e., before the episode of
    fugue).
  3. Dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder) :- More
    than one personality appears to possess the individuals, Showing
    their characteristic behavior. At any instance behavior and memories
    of one personality is exhibited, patient then is unaware of the other’s
    existance.
  4. Depersonalization disorder : - Feeling of detachment from self is
    referred to as depersonalization. Individuals with this disorder will
    report feeling as if they are living in a dream or watching themselves
    on movie screen i.e., feeling detached from self and as if one is an
    outside observer of oneself. People with this disorder feel like they
    are “going crazy” and they frequently become anxious and
    depressed
  5. Dissociative disorders not otherwise specified :- These are the
    disorders that are characterized by dissociative response that do not
    meet diagnostic criteria for one of the other dissociative disorder.
    Important ones are :-
    Dissociative Trance (Possession) disorders :- There is temporary
    exchange of person’s personality by a new personality usually
    attributed to a spirit or divine power. Usually the person is aware of
    the existance of the other, i.e., possessor (unlike dissociative identity
    disorder).
    Ganser’s syndrome : - Also known as syndrome of approximate
    answers. This is characterized by giving approximate answers
    together with a clouding of consciousness, and frequently
    accompanied by hallucinations and other dissociative, somatoform
    or conversion symptoms.