Is it normal to not remember a traumatic event?

People often cope with severe trauma by dissociating, or detaching from what’s happening. This detachment can blur, alter, or block the memory of the event. Some experts believe children who experience abuse or other trauma may not be able to create or access memories in the usual way.

What is it called when you can’t remember trauma?

Dissociative amnesia occurs when a person blocks out certain information, usually associated with a stressful or traumatic event, leaving them unable to remember important personal information.

Can you have PTSD and not remember?

PTSD can develop even without memory of the trauma, psychologists report. Adults can develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder even if they have no explicit memory of an early childhood trauma, according to research by UCLA psychologists.

What triggers traumatic memories?

Triggers can be people, places, or situations. Thoughts, emotions and sensations can also trigger trauma memories. Triggers can be something specific tied to the memory of the traumatic event (like bridges, the smell of fuel or feeling afraid) or something general (like being in a crowd).

Is memory loss from PTSD permanent?

Research shows that there is a definite relationship between occurrences of emotional, psychological or physical trauma and memory. Some of this memory loss may be a temporary way to help you cope with the trauma, and some of it may be permanent due to a severe brain injury or disturbing psychological trauma.

Do people with PTSD have better memories?

Among the 18 studies selected, 11 studies observed differences in emotional memory performance in PTSD patients. PTSD patients seem to have more memorization of negative information, and less memorization of neutral information compared to control groups.

What the mind forgets the body remembers?

Most researchers agree that there is a significant mind-body connection, and some people go so far as to say that what the mind forgets, the body remembers. The fact is, the body speaks all the time, but we might not always hear its messages. Learning to listen to one’s body takes practice.

Is my personal trauma memory real and valid?

In any case, this is yet another major sign that your personal trauma memory is real and valid, and that the traumatic even probably did happen. It used to worry me when my personal trauma memory comes in bits and in odd order. I couldn’t remember the order of events, and I still can’t.

Why can’t we remember our traumatic events?

If a traumatic event occurs when these extra-synaptic GABA receptors are activated, the memory of this event cannot be accessed unless these receptors are activated once again, essentially tuning the brain into the AM stations.”

Is it possible to completely erase trauma memories from your brain?

However, obliteration of memory about trauma of which you could be knowingly aware is not likely to have happened as a result of the trauma itself but, rather, as a result of some circumstance surrounding the trauma when or shortly after it happened. It’s possible. Trauma memories are weird and can be very disconnected.

Why is it so hard to stop thinking about a trauma?

By definition, a traumatic event is not a pleasant memory, so it makes sense that we would want to avoid thinking about it. As mentioned above, the mind tends to replay the traumatic memory, so it can be difficult to keep it out of our minds for long. With time most people find that it becomes less painful to remember the trauma. 10.