Eissler and Siegel discuss a seventeen-and-one-half-year-old soldier who developed complete amnesia for remote and recent events; he had no idea who he was or where he was. He recovered completely after two and one half days of simple reassurance. It was found out that he had received a letter of rejection from a girl friend a few days before the onset of the amnesia, while in the hospital with an upper respiratory infection. The rejection made him yearn for his mother who was overindulgent towards him whenever he was ill.

Total amnesia may be compared to the behavior of some animals who feign death when exposed to overwhelming danger. It may also be a defense against the breaking through of aggressive and destructive impulses.