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Mental Health
Trauma & Stressor-Related Disorders


CHILDHOOD TRAUMA: SIGNS YOU’RE REPRESSING TRAUMATIC MEMORIES

By Brandi Jones, MSN-ED RN-BC
Updated on September 09, 2024
Medically reviewed by Aleesha Grier, PsyD
Print


When it comes to childhood trauma, your brain may repress memories as a coping
mechanism. Throughout adulthood, you might feel something is not right and not
know why. This article discusses signs and symptoms that indicate you may have
repressed memories from childhood trauma. It also reviews other possible reasons
for these emotions or behaviors and ways to cope. 




PixelsEffect / Getty Images


TRAUMA AND MEMORY

Your brain processes and stores memories. Over time it decides which to keep,
delete, suppress, or repress. Stress and fear can cause your brain to vividly
remember events to protect you later in life. However, the brain can also
repress or push traumatic memories aside, allowing a person to cope and move
forward. 




MEMORY WARS

There is a long-standing debate about the validity of memory repression. A
review of research shows that this controversy, which is sometimes referred to
as the “memory wars,” is still controversial in the scientific community today.
Most researchers today believe that it is rare to completely forget trauma that
occurred after early childhood and that "recovered memories" are not always
accurate.1

All About the Different Types of Amnesia



CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Traumas experienced as a child are also called adverse childhood experiences
(ACEs). ACEs may leave emotional scars that can cause repressed emotions to
emerge as an adult. 




ACES

Some ACEs include:

 * Verbal, physical, or sexual abuse
 * Neglect
 * Alcoholic parents
 * Mental illness of family members
 * Abandonment of a parent (divorce, death, or prison)
 * Severe childhood illness
 * Learning disabilities
 * Extreme bullying
 * Refugee trauma 
 * Natural disasters

Almost half of the children in the United States are exposed to at least one ACE
throughout their lives.2




SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The following signs may be ways that the emotional impact of childhood trauma
can present. These symptoms may occur or worsen during stressful times.34


 * Strong reactions: Strong reactions can often catch you off guard. You might
   feel unsafe around a person you just met because the person reminds you of
   someone involved in your childhood trauma.
 * Anxiety: Childhood trauma increases the risk of anxiety. Anxiety triggers a
   reaction where adrenaline courses through the body, telling it to fight or
   leave a situation. Your heart rate increases, and you may feel sick to your
   stomach. 
 * Childish reactions: Childish reactions may look like a tantrum. You speak in
   a childlike voice, show stubbornness, and have outbursts that are difficult
   for you to control.
 * Inability to cope with change: Stress is normal when you are pushed out of
   your comfort zone. It becomes concerning when change triggers persistent
   extreme emotions that interfere with daily life or relationships.5 
 * Intense mood swings: Trauma survivors might either feel numb or have
   overwhelming emotions. Some find it difficult to identify why they feel
   irritable, stressed, or angered.
 * Certain places make you uncomfortable: Certain smells, noises, environments,
   sights, or other sensations may cause discomfort. For example, if an ACE
   occurred in an elevator, other similar small spaces may cause anxiety or
   panic.
   
 * Low self-esteem: Low self-esteem can be hard to identify but becomes apparent
   through fears of being judged, people-pleasing, not setting boundaries, or
   lack of self-worth. Frustration, social anxiety, and distrust can also occur
   with low self-esteem. 
 * Chronic pain or illnesses: Some studies show that people with early childhood
   trauma may be susceptible to developing chronic pain or illnesses later in
   life.
   
 * Abandonment issues: In many cases, the very people who should be caring for a
   child hurt them. This can lead to an alteration in the development of trust
   that leads to an intense fear of abandonment. 



Abandonment issues may result in the following behaviors that may affect the
quality of your relationships:6


 * Quickly getting attached
 * Lack of commitment or trying not to get attached
 * Staying in unhealthy relationships
 * Distrust
 * Feeling insecure 
 * Intense suspicion or jealousy
 * Separation anxiety
 * Overthinking
 * Hypersensitive to criticism
 * Self-blame




FEAR OF ABANDONMENT EXAMPLE

Abandonment issues may leave you feeling like you are overreacting to someone
important leaving for short periods. For example, you may feel anxious when your
partner goes out to dinner with friends for the evening. 


HOW TO COPE WITH CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Recognizing your emotions is a great first step to start the healing process.
Finding a licensed mental health professional who provides a supportive
environment is one of the best things you can do to help better understand
yourself. 



The following are types of therapy that can help with the impact of childhood
trauma.


 * Behavioral therapy: Behavioral therapy gives you a safe place to process
   emotions or experiences to decrease their negative effect on your life. The
   goal is to help you identify and correct destructive thoughts and behaviors
   that stem from trauma rather than just automatically playing them out.4




BENEFITS OF BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

Behavioral therapy can provide tools to help you with:7

 * Relaxation 
 * Trust
 * Regulating difficult emotions
 * Coping strategies
 * Problem-solving

 * Exposure therapy: Exposure therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that helps
   a person confront their fears. It sometimes includes a technique called
   desensitization. This is where someone is progressively exposed to
   increasingly fearful situations along with learning ways to replace fear with
   relaxation.8
 * Cognitive processing therapy: Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) is a
   specific behavioral therapy that helps you restructure beliefs related to the
   trauma. CPT can be done individually or in structured group therapy.9
   




COPING STRATEGIES OUTSIDE OF THERAPY

While undergoing treatment, you can also attend support groups, practice
mindfulness, journal, and learn coping strategies through self-help books and
podcasts.


OTHER REASONS FOR REPRESSED MEMORY

Other psychiatric reasons for memory issues include:


 * Dissociation: Dissociation means disconnection from yourself, others, and the
   world. This is the brain’s short-term way of escaping pain. Long-term
   dissociation can separate a person from reality or cause them to lose
   memories of entire chunks of time, called dissociative amnesia.10




WHAT IS DISSOCIATIVE AMNESIA?

An inability to recall information related to personal traumas is sometimes
called dissociative amnesia. Dissociative memory loss can affect a specific part
of a person’s life or significant parts of a person’s identity.11


 * Denial: Denial is a psychological defense mechanism in which there is a
   refusal to recognize or acknowledge something painful. While denial is
   helpful when coping with traumatic events in the short term, ongoing denial
   can cause emotional, mental, or physical health problems. 
   




CHILDHOOD TRAUMA'S ASSOCIATION WITH DEMENTIA

Evidence suggests an association between childhood trauma and a higher risk of
dementia. While trauma may not cause dementia, it can aggravate symptoms such as
memory loss.12

 * Dissociative identity disorder (DID): DID is a mental health condition where
   a person has multiple, distinct personalities. It can cause memory loss while
   one or the other identity controls the person’s behavior.13
 * Borderline personality disorder (BPD): BPD is a mental health illness
   characterized by mood dysregulation and unstable relationships. 




BPD SYMPTOMS

While this is not a comprehensive list, symptoms of BPD include:14


 * Dissociation
 * Extreme emotions
 * Distrust
 * Distorted self-image
 * Chronic empty feeling
 * Reckless behaviors 
 * Self-harming
 * Suicidal ideations

The Meaning of Escapism in Psychology



SUMMARY

Childhood trauma can cause a variety of emotional problems in adulthood. When
you experience childhood trauma, your brain may repress details of the memories
or the emotions associated with them as a coping mechanism. 



It’s best to seek treatment from a licensed mental health professional such as a
psychiatrist or psychologist so they can help you identify your emotions and
patterns of behavior. 





A WORD FROM VERYWELL

Understanding what is going on with your emotions is the first step in healing.
It’s always best to seek treatment with a trained mental health professional if
you are struggling with the impact of childhood trauma. They can help you work
through your feelings, form better relationships, and enjoy a fulfilling life. 




MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE

If you or a loved one are struggling with repressed childhood trauma, contact
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National
Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities
in your area.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 * How does childhood trauma affect you over a lifetime?
   
   Childhood trauma may leave emotional scars that last into adulthood.15

   
 * How can you remember childhood trauma?
   
   Although it is unlikely that you will have completely forgotten significant
   trauma experienced during childhood, details or repressed emotional reactions
   might return as you talk to your therapist about other events.16
   
   Learn More What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
   
 * How should you process trauma?
   
   Trauma should be processed slowly in a safe and supportive environment with a
   mental health professional to gain coping strategies to use if and when
   trauma memories emerge. A mental health professional's goal will be to help
   you identify and process your emotions rather than asking you to relive
   traumatic events in a way that retraumatizes you or overwhelms you.

   

16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies,
to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn
more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and
trustworthy.

 1.  Otgaar H, Howe M, Patihis L et al. The return of the repressed: The
     persistent and problematic claims of long-forgotten trauma. Perspectives on
     Psychological Science. 2019;14(6):1072-1095. doi:10.1177/1745691619862306

 2.  Johns Hopkins University Hub. Study: Nearly half of U.S. kids exposed to
     traumatic social or family experiences.

 3.  Palo Alto University. Childhood trauma and its effect on adulthood.

 4.  Horizons Clinic. Signs you might have repressed unresolved trauma from
     childhood.

 5.  Gooden Center. Adjustment disorder.

 6.  Rodriguez LM, DiBello AM, Øverup CS, Neighbors C. The price of distrust:
     Trust, anxious attachment, jealousy, and partner abuse. Partner Abuse.
     2015;6(3):298-319. doi:10.1891/1946-6560.6.3.298

 7.  National Institute of Mental Health. Psychotherapies.

 8.  American Psychological Association. Clinical practice guideline for the
     treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: What is exposure therapy?

 9.  American Psychological Association. Clinical Practice Guidline for the
     Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Cognitive Processing Therapy
     (CPT).

 10. Cleveland Clinic. Dissociative Disorders.

 11. Cleveland Clinic. Dissociative Amnesia.

 12. Burri A, Maercker A, Krammer S, Simmen-Janevska K. Childhood trauma and
     PTSD symptoms increase the risk of cognitive impairment in a sample of
     former indentured child laborers in old age. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e57826.
     doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057826

 13. Cleveland Clinic. Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality
     Disorder).

 14. National Institute of Mental Health. Borderline Personality Disorder.

 15. Springer KW, Sheridan J, Kuo D, Carnes M. The long-term health outcomes of
     childhood abuse: an overview and a call to action. Journal of General
     Internal Medicine. 2003;18(10):864. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2003.20918.x

 16. Talkspace. How to identify & release repressed emotions.

Additional Reading

 * Kascakova N, Furstova J, Hasto J, Madarasova Geckova A, Tavel P. The Unholy
   Trinity: Childhood Trauma, Adulthood Anxiety, and Long-Term Pain. Int J
   Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(2):414. doi:10.3390/ijerph17020414.

 * Michigan ACE Initiative. How To Recognize If Your Childhood Trauma Is
   Affecting You As An Adult (& How To Heal).

 * Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Treatment
   Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 57. Rockville, MD: HHS Publication; 2014:
   Chapter 3.

By Brandi Jones, MSN-ED RN-BC
Jones is a registered nurse and freelance health writer with more than two
decades of healthcare experience.

See Our Editorial Process
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