Is it possible to repress childhood memories of abuse?

Question

Some say yes and some say no, anyone have any comments

Answer 1

Yes,sometimes your mind cant take the drama,so it shuts it away.

Answer 2

If there were a way to repress childhood abuse or something traumatic in your life, I don't think the medication that is still in trial mode is safe, even when it is approved.

I think that in all the years I've worked with people who are experts at helping to heal others memories, are those who know how to help the person reprogram the mind.

They are walked through a regressive memory which is most painful and cry.. then walk them through a technique to reprogram the mind.

After all, brain cells are malleable and change pathways as you alter your way of thinking.

The traumatic memories are replaced with calmness and a resolve.

Answer 3

It is possible that you could have been abused and not remember it, but then why would you remember the abuse that took place around age 12 to 13? Many things can cause someone to lose their childhood memories, usually trauma-related, but not necessarily sexual abuse. Were you physically or emotionally abused by a parent or caretaker? Was your living situation in general a very negative, angry, scary place? There didn't have to be any outright abuse targeted at you, if you lived in a generally negative environment that scared you as a child that could have been enough to cause this gap in your memory. Also, most people don't have memories from toddlerhood. In most people the ability to form explicit memories (memories of events) coincides with their ability to verbalize things as they are happening... that is, to converse. By the age of 3 most toddlers can have brief conversations with you, of course not like you and I converse but they can answer questions, ask you questions, and generally comment on what's going on. For example, if you take a baby to the zoo, they just stare in awe at everything. But if you take a 2 and a half year old to the zoo, they will often point to things and say, "Look, lion!" or "Big kitty" etc. If you ask them, "What is that animal?" or "Is the zebra funny looking?" they can answer your question. They are able to have very basic conversations with you, and this is what causes the formation of explicit memory. That is why people have what is known as "infantile amnesia", the inability to recall events before around age 2-3. So it's not uncommon that you don't have any memories from toddlerhood or very early childhood, because most people don't. Especially if you were late to start talking, that would increase your likelihood of having few or no explicit memories from that time in your life. As for ages 6-12, there may have been trauma, but it doesn't necessarily have to be sexual abuse. If you remember the abuse that happened at age 12-13, I don't know why you wouldn't remember abuse that happened the year before, or the year before that. I think your best bet is to talk to a qualified therapist about all of this. I personally am very skeptical of hypnosis, there is no real research to back it up... however, there IS evidence that hypnotists have unwittingly planted false memories (although psychologists can do that too if they are not doing their job properly). I would recommend talking to a therapist and expressing your concerns about your lost memories to them, and see what they come up with. Good luck!

Answer 4

I worked 30 years in the field of mental health. With counseling and a strong desire to work through the problem you have a very good chance of repressing those memories. Periodically they may surface but with a long-term support group you should be okay.

Answer 5

Im sure you can reprss them but why should you???? you should bring everything to the light and deal with it, that is the only way to live a happy/healthy life. You repressing them wont make things any better/easier. Face your fears and take things one day at a time.

Answer 6

yeah i think it is possible espically if the person doing the abuse is a parent and telling the person that everything is ok. the chil may trust the parent or want their attention and love so much that they start to elieve that what is happening is ok and "normal" thus either surprssing the memory completly or making the memories seem less tragic then they really were

Answer 7

well I guess the answer is simple enough that it doesn't really warrant the effort, but yes, it happens all the time. Mind if I ask what you're shooting for here? Is there something we should talk about in private?

Btw, the only people I have EVER heard suggest that its not possible are perps.(84 for example has guilty written all over her reply there.)

Answer 8

why the hell would you want to ? If you dont recognize that this past of yours is affecting your life today then you will always remain a victim. Take responsibility for your own mental well being . Go seek proffesional help and or support group for this. Dont give your life to the person or persons who hurt you in the past they are the sick ones and you dont have to remain their victim...

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

absolutely i cant remember any thing before i was 14 do to trauma