[dpsucks]

Does anyone else have problems retrieving childhood memories? I find that it is extremely difficult for me to do so. If someone asked me to remember things from age 11 for example, I’d probably draw a complete blank.

 

[TDX]

That's normal.

 

[TheGolfer]

Honestly, I think most people can’t remember much about their childhoods and not really give it to much thought. We just dwell on the fact that we can’t remember. I was freaking out a little one day because I couldn’t remember what I did the weekend before, when I asked my fiancé she had just as much trouble remembering as I did

 

[dissoziation]

I think something like that is normal, but I'd be a little concerned if your DP started as a child.

 

[Billy D.P.]

I disagree somewhat with the above posters. Some people have tremendous memories dating all the way back to childhood while some do not. I always thought it was strange how I couldn't remember anything from my childhood while my friends would always be able to recall everything. Trauma has a direct impact on your ability to retrieve memories as does a willingness to examine your life and not brush things under the rug based on the way you were raised, both of which make frequent appearances on this forum. I know in my case I never was able to remember anything from my childhood until I went to therapy and made a conscious effort to do so. Now I know that part of the reason I never could obtain those memories was because of family trauma and the other because I was raised to not examine the past from a young age. Oddly enough, I've suffered unspeakable trauma since and have a thyroid disorder that's wrecked havoc on my memory yet because I'm willing to look back I now see all sorts of things that happened because I'm willing to take a deep, thoughtful look, despite how impaired my memory is.

 

[Broken]

I agree with Billy DP. Although it isn't uncommon to not remember much, that's not to say it is irrelevant. My DP is definitely related to childhood trauma. And another thing people seem very quick to deny is supressed memories. It is a real thing and I have experienced this. And defo related to my dp. People want to deny them but there is absolutely no way that you could know you don't have them. My narrative before was "I know myself and understand my entire childhood. Everything was happy and normal because my parents tell me so today".. now my narrative is "who f*[email protected] knows, I barely remember anything?! Define normal??"