Repressed Memory, or Nightmare?

Question

Last night I had a dream that one of my male relatives molested me (I was about 4 years oldish in the dream), but I couldn't see his face...

my mom used to ask me questions when I was younger (she was suspicious my dad or someone was hurting me) if someone had ever touched me in a bad way, she even confronted a psychologist about it...


could this be a repressed memory?

the dream was very real, and I woke up crying and very emotional...

Also, I'm almost 20 now, if this was a memory, wouldn't it have surfaced earlier?

Answer 1

I think you should speak to a psychologist. Dreams are our way of dealing with fears or other emotions.

This may not have ever happened but your mum could of said it enough and scared you. It could be anything. You should speak to an expert.

Answer 2

If you have a parent you can trust and talk to, I would ask once I find a good time, like when you two are alone and the mood feels right for some deep conversation. I would only do this if you feel that parent is approachable on that type of subject. Make sure you keep our attitude mature, too, and don't judge or criticize if she breaks the out the truth. Remember, she may be having difficulty with it, too.

Answer 3

They can come back to you at any time. They may be actual memories or they may be "masks" the mind has thrown out at you to cover up an even -more- disturbing memory. The important thing is to not jump to conclusions about them too quickly - if you immediately think they're just dreams, you might be missing a vital clue to your own self-understanding, but if you immediately think they must be true as experiences, then you risk ruining a potentially innocent person.

I was traumatized as a child, and had many memories come back to me when in my twenties and early thirties. I don't know your situation, I hope you're seeking professional guidance of some sort, but for myself, I learned this: It's important to know that no matter how convincing a memory is, it -might- be false, but even if you _know_ it's false, that isn't as important as what the memory conveys to you. I've found that even with memories I later learned _couldn't_ have been true, they were cast up from the depths of my mind for a reason at that time. Analyzing them and paying attention to them at that moment in my life - that had been the most beneficial thing to me at the moment.

The truth is that you might never be able to know for 100% certain whether or not they're true. Of course you -might- get lucky and stumble upon a piece of corroborating evidence, but even if you don't, I wouldn't dismiss them simply because they might not be 100% factual. It worked best for me to view them in a category similar to more obviously symbolic dreams, and to interpret them in similar ways. Treat them as if they're true if that feels right for you, but know that even if they aren't true, they're very much worth paying attention to.

Answer 4

It could be a memory or just a "tape" of what you think you should remember based on the pressure your mom put on you. There are crisis centers and rape hot lines that can help you sort out the truth before you make any accusation. It is very important that you are clear on the truth before you discuss this with any family and cause any undue pressure on yourself. Please seek counseling before you say this dream is real.

Answer 5

From what I have read it could be a repressed memory. If this reoccurs you should to do some investigating.

Answer 6

Your next step would be to tell your mother about your dream and ask her about her past concerns. Perhaps if your mother knows something she will be more apt to tell you something now that you are older.