...Repressed memories?
Sometimes the memories will come back, but not until you are ready to handle them emotionally. That means being in a safe place, feeling safe, and being out of reach of the abuser. Sometimes they don't surface until you are an adult and have moved out of your parent's house. You can be certain that if you have lost/hazy memories, there is a reason. Just as there is a reason you can't answer your mom straight up. If she asked you if you ever had raspberry ice-cream you could answer yes or no without hesitation. Psychotherapists specialize in helping people recover lost memories. I went through 6 years of it which probably gave me my sanity. But it is difficult, time consuming and extremely painful.
What is your opinion on repressed memories?
I'm pretty skeptical. Although I don't think it's impossible to have repressed memories, usually it's a case of suggestion by the person claiming to "recover" the memories. When it comes to recovering legitimate memories, I think your best bet is to simply write down anything you remember of that time. A sound, an experience, a picture in your head... When thinking about, you might remember other things. If you keep it in your mind, then things you encounter in regular life might remind you of something from your childhood.
Is it bad to supress/repress memories and thoughts?
First off: There's a difference between SUPPRESSION and REPRESSION. You suppress a fire by pouring water on it. You may, indeed, suppress thoughts with the certainty that they WON'T hit you in the future like a ton of bricks--like the sexual abuse incident hit you. I repeat, there is nothing wrong with suppressing thoughts. There is, however, a problem with REPRESSION; the problem is that the thought(s) are hidden from conscious awareness, but they are still in your subconscious mind. Issues that are thus repressed may surface as psychological problems, like depression for example. Now, mind you, the subconscious mind only represses information that it considers dangerous to the conscious mind. Moreover, because you don't repress information consciously, you are unaware that you are doing it. It takes a GOOD psychologist or psychiatrist to CAREFULLY uncover the issue(s) that are hidden. Then too, the subconscious may reveal the issue spontaneously (like the sexual abuse incident in your case) when it feels that you are prepared consciously to deal with it. I don't mean to say that this revelation of past problems will be painless, however; as you know yourself, it can be quite painful. Hence, the need to have a mental health professional help you with your problem(s). I hope this helped. Get some mental health help, and this problem will be left in the dust. Good Luck!
Repressed Memory or bad dream?
Can you think of an event around the time of the dream that would trigger the memory?? Repressed memories are real but be very careful. Make sure you want to know the past before you walk into it. if there is any doubt do not confront your dad about this. it would sever any relationship you have with him. Do you have someone you can talk to about varifying the dream/memory? a brother or sister or mom? if you decide to see a councelor about it go to one that will not put anything in your head. you need to decide for yourself where this goes. if a therapist makes any suggestions or adds any details it makes the entire thing invalid. i recently have gone through the same experience. i remembered that my favorite uncle molested and raped me as a kid. i can remember nothing about my childhood until i was in third grade. think back: is there any gaps in your memory--times when you can't remember anything. this is normal until you are a certain age but in my case i should remember somethings before third grade. at any rate, if you can just dismiss this as a bad dream. if you need to explore it just be careful peace&hope
What are repressed memories and should they be admisable in court?
repressed memories are things that you have blocked from your mind. It could be something bad that happened in the past. It can be admisable in court, but only by an experienced psycologist. You would have to waive your right to confidentially though. Sometimes in court that could do more harm then good though. Sometimes in court proceedings, he judge and jury feels that psyciatric help (even though it is needed) finds the person to be not as credible then a person who doesnt go to a psych.
Can repressed memories of trauma resurface?
Repressed memories can and do resurface, sometimes at very inconvenient times in our lives.There is a portion of the brain that stores everything that we have ever thought, felt, imagined and experienced - like a big data storage drive, but without any way to delete files. In an attempt at self-protection, memories that are unpleasant or painful can be partitioned off and hidden from view (repressed) - with the hope that this will make them permanently disappear.Hiding or repressing these memories takes energy, and the more material we attempt to disown the more energy is consumed by the hiding process. If your energy level is generally good, the repression may be able to continue without difficulty for years. But at times when energy levels fall - mental stress, emotional upset, physical illness, loss of job, security, family or friend - it becomes more difficult to maintain the storage process, and things can start to bubble up into consciousness.The appearance of repressed memories in dreams or conscious awareness doesn’t mean that you are ready to deal with them, it simply indicates that the storage system is failing and another approach to managing this material is required.Best wishes for your good health and happiness.
Is there a way to ignore and repress traumatic and bad memories you keep on thinking about?
Well, sort of, but it's not a good idea in terms of long term health and happiness...Feelings have to be felt in order to move on. When you suppress your emotions, they tend to leak out in unexpected ways. Imagine trying to hold a beachball under water. It takes a lot of effort and if you get distracted, the ball will get away from you and pop to the surface.We have this idea that feelings can physically hurt us if we allow ourselves to experience them. They can't. The monsters under our boats are loud, but not particularly dangerous.Demons on the boat - an Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Metaphor The only real way to get rid of those bad memories is to work through them. Well, they'll still be memories, but not ones loaded with strong emotional triggers.I would suggest finding a therapist to help guide you and make sure you're safe while you deal with the feelings that come up as you unpack the emotions from betrayal and grief. There are a lot of different options available, from traditional talk therapy to ACT, EMDR, Internal Family System therapy, and hypnosis. A lot of therapists now offer online/phone sessions, which removes one of the most challenging obstacles of seeking competent help - access. Meditation can also help physically change the structure of your brain, lowering the 'alarm' threshold of your amygdala. Free CBT Worksheets For Therapists To Share is a site my therapist recommended to me.