Is It Possible to Forget Something That Happened to You in the Past?

The brain is the holder of various information stored in it in different ways in its different parts. Some memories are stored forever and can be recalled anytime, whereas some are partially retrieved.

But the memories which are traumatic become repressed despite having huge information or a massive experience.

• If the traumatic condition is extreme, then the memory may not be long term rather they can only be stored as sensations, emotions and reactions.
• In the trauma which is moderate and bearable, the memories can be stored for the long term and are not much affected.
• The process of “State-dependent” memory enhances and retrieves the forgotten memory at the current time due to the sensory triggers for a particular situation. Whereas sometimes the memory of the traumatic situations can return through sensations or flashbacks where the person feels to recall the past naturally comparing it to the present.

Some researchers believe that recovered memories may or may not be true.

In their observations, they found that the trauma survivors who have gone through the extreme emotions have truly recovered memories. While others reported having recovered false memories which are implanted by the therapists in sensitive patients by incorrectly infusing the seriousness of trauma in their mind.

A therapist has to be careful before suggesting any symptom for a root cause until the cause is reported or identified by the patient.