Repressed memory is presently considered largely unsupported by research. Sigmund Freud initially claimed the memories of historical childhood trauma could be repressed, while unconsciously influencing present behavior and emotional responding; he later revised this belief.
Among clinical psychologists, 70% (n = 2,305) believed in the existence of repressed memories.
A new study pokes holes in the popular theory, originating from Sigmund Freud, that suppressed memories, like those from a traumatic event, remain intact and can negatively influence behavior and mental health.
Memory researchers argue that there is no substantial scientific evidence that repressed memories exist, whereas clinicians claim the opposite – this debate has been referred to as the “memory wars” by scholars.
Many therapists believe that repressed memories are authentic, but they also recognize that inaccurate memories can occur. Suggestion appears to be a leading cause of inaccurate memory. The need for more research to resolve the controversy about repressed memories is emphasized.
Repressed memories are also very difficult to prove as factual. The brain is a highly complicated and intelligent network. Unless many other people come forward with the same memory of a situation, it's possible your recall is instead a false memory created by the brain to manage reality more effectively.
What does science say about the existence of repressed memories? Influenced by psychoanalytic and hypnotic scholars such as Sigmund Freud and Jean-Martin Charcot, the core proposition behind repressed memories is that they act as a defence mechanism when people experience a traumatic event.
Repressed memories can come back to you in various ways, including having a trigger, nightmares, flashbacks, body memories and somatic/conversion symptoms. This can lead to feelings of denial, shame, guilt, anger, hurt, sadness, numbness and so forth.
We demonstrate that research has shown that about 30% of tested subjects formed false memories of autobiographical experiences. Furthermore, this empirical work has also revealed that such false memories can even be implanted for negative events and events that allegedly occurred repeatedly.
Many researchers and mental health professionals do agree it may be possible to repress and later recover memories, but many also generally agree this is most likely quite rare. Some experts believe memories may be repressed, but that once these memories are lost, they can't be recovered.
Sigmund Freud originally developed the concept of repression as part of his psychoanalytic theory. Repression occurs when a thought, memory, or feeling is too painful for an individual, so the person unconsciously pushes the information out of consciousness and becomes unaware of its existence.
Traumatic memories rerouted and hidden away
Memories are usually stored in distributed brain networks including the cortex, and can thus be readily accessed to consciously remember an event.
Most unresolved childhood trauma affects self-esteem and creates anxiety. Did you suffer a serious childhood illness? If so, you were likely isolated at home or hospitalized. This meant being removed from normal social activities and you probably felt lonely, maybe even worried about being different.
Memory loss after surviving traumatic events is sometimes called traumatic dissociative amnesia. It can happen in people who experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect, verbal abuse, or emotional neglect.
The effects of unhealed childhood wounds are widespread and can manifest in different ways in our adult lives. Common issues that can arise include low self-esteem, difficulty forming relationships, addiction, depression, and anxiety.
Compared to repressed memories, false memories are more supported by empirical data: in the case of false memory, people may have a distorted recollection of an event or, in extreme cases, recall an event that never happened.
Adults who have experienced childhood trauma usually have heightened levels of anxiety. They may worry excessively and have trouble managing their anxiety. It can lead to persistent feelings of sadness, lack of interest in activities, and difficulty experiencing pleasure.
Adults can generally recall events from 3–4 years old, with those that have primarily experiential memories beginning around 4.7 years old. Adults who experienced traumatic or abusive early childhoods report a longer period of childhood amnesia, ending around 5–7 years old.
Erdelyi claims that Freud established the theory that repression is a defense mechanism. When defining repression, Freud stated, “The essence of repression lies simply in the function of rejecting and keeping something out of consciousness” (1).
However, research also suggests that memories can be tainted under suggestive conditions such as suggestive therapeutic interventions leading to so‐called false memories [5, 6, 7]. False memories are memories of details or events that were not experienced [6].
Combining data from all surveys, we reported that the belief in repressed memories is widespread (58%; n = 4,745; Otgaar et al., 2019).