I'm not sure if all of my trauma is real...
I know about my parents and immediate family that they're not good people, and im sure of what they did to me. But about a year ago, i had a flashback from when i was a little kid and I was being molested. I'm not sure if its real or not. I know the mind can do crazy things but the emotions and sensations were too real to me. But at the same time, i had no idea until then and most people who were sexualy abused remember but I didn't? I really need some advice 😖
@LostEyes
Hello there! While I can't answer you on the question of if it was real or not, I can hopefully offer some comfort.
It is very common for people who experience sexual abuse/assault to not remember it. This is called Dissociation. Now dissociation can be defined as "Unconscious defense mechanism involving the segregation of any group of mental or behavioral processes from the rest of the person's psychic activity; may entail the separation of an idea from its accompanying emotional tone..." (Cloyd) In simpler terms, dissociation is a way the mind protects the person from the trauma by cutting off the memory from the concious brain, making the memory "disappear". While dissociation sounds amazing and useful it can cause massive distress to the person when it is over utilized. Though dissociated parts of ones self usually (memories, emotions, etc.) tend to work their way to the surface slowly over a long time. This would explain the memory resurfacing so late.
I hope that this information could help you. Though, whether it was real or not, if it causes you significant stress, you should consider working on it in therapy until it no longer can be triggered.
Once again, I hope this can help you. Have a great day, and never give up. You are a fighter. You can overcome these memories
~*Sage*~