Have you ever had a repressed memory you later recovered?

Question

Last year I was talking to my parents and the topic of a creepy kid who used to live on our block came up. His younger sister was a teen mom and I remember saying I would not be surprised if he had abused her.

The moment I hung up the phone I remembered he had touched ME inappropriately. I was 4. He was like 10.

He was most recently arrested for shaking his baby to death.

While the initial realization was disturbing. At the age of 4 I was not bothered by this. It is what it is. I kinda wish I had been able to leave that sleeping dog lie.

Have you ever had a repressed memory you later recovered?

WowwGirl · Accepted Answer

That's called selective amnesia mainly found in kids, and children can block up to two years of memory. This usually ends by age 10-12

dustybiker · Accepted Answer

Yes, similar. I’m sorry you had to have that experience. The man sounds like he was born with wires crossed.

Ez-Bri-Z · Answer

Not recovered, but there are a few that I know are gonna be bad news if I do remember them. Right now they are completely blocked from my memory. Im not sure I want to go digging for them as the speculation and subsequent phobias stemming from that time period are bad enough.

matchrestore · Answer

When I was 10 almost the entire city I lived in flooded, and then a bunch of buildings downtown burnt to the ground and the fires couldn't be fought because of the flooding. I have tons of memories from that time period but I blocked out the actual evacuation process until I was 22 and the town I was going to college in was also experiencing a record flood.

The tornado sirens blaring, the police cars driving up and down the streets with their loudspeakers repeating "you must leave now, this area is under mandatory evacuation," driving past water bubbling up through storm drains, and in some areas through water that threatened to get into the floorboards of my dad's truck. All of that was blocked out.

Diodoro · Answer

I don't know I'd say repressed memory but I've had really old memories pop up randomly. Thankfully happy memory. One comes to mind now that I wish I could recall on command. It was over 10-15 years ago now. But last year I was on a walk when the memory hit me and I felt such intense joy in that moment it brought tears to my eyes.

I was like, "I had no idea I still had that memory". It was something with me and my younger brother. It'll probably hit me again in a few years. For me I know if I daily do things to clear my head, calm my mind, and just live. That's when my creativity goes

I've written full stories that popped into my head while I was on a long walk. Similar time memories go off

Oigit · Answer

You really can't repress something like that. It is part of your inner dialog. It's like a sound way off in the distance that you don't really hear. On some level your mind does pick up on that sound. But it's not loud enough to become a major part of your over all thought processes. When remembered what happened that event went from a sound in the distance to a major part of your over all thought processes.

When I went through therapy do deal with things that happened as a kid the goal was to develop the mental and emotional coping skills I didn't have, bring the memories forward and work through them. Because those memories where part of my internal dialog and creating issues. Despite the fact that where that sound off in the distance that I didn't really hear.

Wester1967 · Answer

I suffered abuse as a kid. It was all "normalized" growing up. I didn't know any different or that things could be different. I remembered in a way that was not critical of my multi generational "care/abuse givers". In the last 5 or so years I was finally able to interpret these memories as toxic, and not sweet sentimental BS. My brother has real problems. He's alcoholic and hates me for not pretending the BS was a gift from Santa Claus

bowenw · Answer

I have a vague memory of when I was quite young, about 3-4, where a few of the neighborhood kids a couple years older than me were playing doctor. I was the patient. All I can remember is laying on my stomach on some sort of bench naked while they examined and probed me. I'd totally forgotten about this until I read a question on GAG a while back where someone asked if they'd every played doctor in their childhood.

exitseven · Answer

Nothing really repressed like you had but this site makes you relive a lot of deep buried memories. Some things probably should have stayed buried.

InventorofWarp · Answer

I never like to go digging in my past for exactly this reason. I have few memories the period of about 5-7 and the few times I've gone digging the few images I've gotten are enough to deter future walks in that alley.

TheorionMage · Answer

Yes, was molested as a pre-teen juvenile by an in-home voyeuristic maternal Grand Mother. They tried to blame my in-home Grand Father.

When given assisted juvenile baths, some part got washed and dried FAR more than others~ Hypocrites!

Tstrbrainer · Answer

Looks like you were bothered subconsciously at that time.
Otherwise, why would you remember a single event at early childhood so clearly after all these years?

By the way, what does "shaking to death" mean?

Mangospacho · Answer

Whoa. That’s crazy you remember all that all of a sudden. He’s probably serving a long sentence after shaking a baby to death.

RealMarek · Answer

Physical abuse at the hands of my ex was not something I had thought about for a long time after it happened. I remembered it again after we broke up.

DaveToo · Answer

There are some memories that I would LIKE to suppress. Alas, they will be with me 'til I die, I'm afraid.

KieranByrne · Answer

Yes, some of which you know! I have more repressed which I need to let go of, yet finding the way to talk about this is difficult, and whenever I do I have the feeling of overwhelmed!

Charliefretz329 · Answer

Yes, this definitely has happened. Usually it’s when I was too young or inexperienced to see the full picture of what was happening. Later as an adult it flashes by my mind for some reason and I see it in the proper context

AydenHazor · Answer

I have not, but the possibility of it happening in the future exists, especially considering I do not remember the majority of my childhood and teen years, which is oftentimes a trauma response.

OddBeMe · Answer

No, that’s been kind of debunked. At least in the traumatic sense. It’s actually more likely your mind made up the trauma you think was repressed.

Waldoe · Answer

some things should be left in the past... I hope you can.

Subarugirl · Answer

Yes, being sexual abused as a young child

roy_ricky09 · Answer

They are still repressed

bananathunder · Answer

yeah a few have popped up over the years

Msputiton · Answer

Can't say i have

Lonely888 · Answer

Everyday

JohnE_69 · Answer

HUH? 🤨🤯

Have you ever had a repressed memory you later recovered?

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