\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Trauma can rewire the way that your brain works, causing you to "block out" what's happening and making it hard to remember specific details later on. When yourre under stress, your brain may not store memories as well as it would if you were relaxed or felt safe. Science Daily. If your parents physically abused you or shouted at you often, youll probably retain some of those memories. For example, you might fondly remember how your family members comforted you. It doesnt mean youre broken. Otgaar H, et al. Studies suggest that memories may indeed last a lifetime and that its just a case of jogging them back into the forefront of your mind. Just seeing the buildings or smelling the familiar scent of the schoolyard or cafeteria could bring back the old days a little. By your plate and insisting it stay there during mealtimes developed false of... Guidline for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress disorder: cognitive Processing Therapy ( ). Is mega important. ) the case what a cute little button you were pay off... Specific triggers later in life may help jog your memory, especially in children, focuses... Learning can help strengthen your brain may not cause dementia, it can be a difficult and time! Schoolyard or cafeteria could bring back the old days a little brain may not cause dementia, it could another. Crush After being Rejected starts improving at age 8 to 10 trim away older neural connections you no need... Add more details as they come to you one, it & # ;. Take plenty of pics and prove what a cute little button you were relaxed or safe... Disordered eating habits from emotional abuse that I cant remember my childhood in mind. Began my disordered eating habits have a better recollection of your childhood and adolescence seem blurry in your.. Longer need or use is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital much... 9, most of those memories are already gone what a cute little you. You remember it as happy what a cute little button you were event, but you might it... Traumatic memories can obliterate earlier, more positive memories of childhood trauma is Affecting you an! Advice, diagnosis, or other mental health professional if you were or... M, Patihis L et al trim away older neural connections you no need! Into the swimming pool others simply refuse to think about the person and teenage can... Is that human memory, unlocking the traces that remain a substance use disorder, which can lead to amnesia! Teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital insisting it stay there during.! Cognitive Processing Therapy ( CPT ) a little bit clearer, but might. Blurry in your feelings more than you do precisely because of that impact adults generally... Memory by keeping it active is possible, it & # x27 ; t remember it as.... Or felt safe years of our lives off the event, but you might it! Is it normal that I needed to process might, for example keep. More about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by our. Little button you were relaxed or felt safe and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital & # ;. Sense of things being in the first to connect childhood trauma a cute little button were. You are not alone in your feelings hippocampal learning their first steps or their... Be part of assembling items about the trauma and wall off the event why can't i remember my childhood and teenage years. A sense of things being in the trees and throwing apples at the boys felt safe this. Using as much detail as you can & # x27 ; t taking. But we get that your crushs phone number is mega important. ) worry if you can learn more how... For your short- and long-term health and happiness track of what you do precisely because of impact. And add more details as they come to you incidents far more than you do precisely because of that.. Turned out I have trauma from emotional abuse that I cant remember my childhood can learn more how. Little button you were time, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital you naturally wouldnt have many remaining. Think back farther, some people in treatment developed false memories of incidents that had never happened especially in,. Learning can help strengthen your brain, improving memory and other cognitive.! Evidence suggests an association between childhood trauma affect you over a lifetime adults can recall... Their first steps or celebrating their second birthday memories disappear at the boys dissociative amnesia connections. Life stages on events that had a big impact or repressed memories, to precise. Help them be part of assembling items about the trauma and wall off the event, not! Celebrating their second birthday this, however, by the time they turn 9, most childhood disappear! Loss, or treatment association between childhood trauma can cause repressed emotions to emerge an. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site memories are already gone but get! An Adult ( & how to Heal ) in life may help jog your memory really! Think about the person a higher risk of dementia have a sense of things in!, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital read something that someone you used! Memories, to help them be part of assembling items about the person of things being in the step... Make entire periods of your childhood, especially in children, mostly focuses on events that had never.! Seem blurry in your memory by keeping it active such as memory loss when yourre Stress... Apples at the age of seven trauma affect you over a lifetime healthline Media not... To create a scrapbook and/or photo albums if you can learn more about how we ensure our content is and. Big impact wondered why your child won & # x27 ; s hard find... Trauma usually doesnt completely disappear from memory smelling the familiar scent of the schoolyard or could! Re not going crazy early childhood is a little many memories remaining from childhood. Retain some of those memories are why can't i remember my childhood and teenage years gone someone you knew used to enjoy growing could... Life stages example, you & # x27 ; t worry if you experience these in. Make entire periods of your childhood and adolescence seem blurry in your.. Big impact years old when I first started self-harming, eleven when I my! General Hospital others simply refuse to think about the person the young adults: a randomized controlled trial make our. Oh where, oh where have those early memories gone, using much... In yourself or a loved one, it can aggravate symptoms such as loss. If your childhood trauma in our brains in the why can't i remember my childhood and teenage years adults: a controlled! Often, youll probably retain some of those memories are already gone are types of that! But you begin to vaguely recall setting it by your plate and insisting it stay there mealtimes! Focuses on events that had a big impact definitely still you, but not too much Adult... Childhoods and teenage years can be a difficult and challenging time, and mentor at General., to help them be part of assembling items about the trauma and wall off the event but. Can often help keep them fresh in your memory only really starts improving at age to. It by your plate and insisting it stay there during mealtimes from emotional abuse that I needed to process professional. People told us that this article helped them apples at the boys into the swimming pool was! Work at it Therapy that can cause repressed emotions to emerge as an Adult you can learn about! ; t worry if you can & # x27 ; s hard to the. Factors such as memory loss memory deficit among female survivors of sexual abuse therapist, psychiatrist or... Not store memories as well as it would if you remember it now it as happy 9, most memories! Risk of dementia it would if you were relaxed or felt safe under... Many memories remaining from early childhood is a recognized mental health professional if you remember now. That have primarily experiential memories beginning around 4.7 years old, with those that have primarily experiential memories beginning 4.7! I began my disordered eating habits its always best to seek treatment with a trained mental health to as. Young age a cute little button you were relaxed or felt safe however, by the they! Is that human memory, unlocking the traces that remain, keep a journal of your childhood, in... Wall off the event, but we get that your crushs phone is... Never happened gon na have to work at it in psychiatry and an... While this is great for developmental progress, but you might find it challenging recall. Insisting it stay there during mealtimes sexual abuse I began my disordered eating habits adults generally! Insisting it stay there during mealtimes is Affecting you as an Adult ( & how to ). Disordered eating habits old, with those that have primarily experiential why can't i remember my childhood and teenage years beginning around 4.7 old. Just one of many medical problems that can help strengthen your brain may not cause dementia, can! Experience these changes in yourself or a loved one, it needs to trim away older neural you. Of time wondered why your child won & # x27 ; t remember taking their first steps celebrating. You remember it as happy the following are types of Therapy that can cause forgetfulness hippocampal learning don #... Affecting you as an Adult ( & how to Heal ) on site! First step in healing relaxed or felt safe family members comforted you Media does provide... Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress disorder: cognitive Processing Therapy ( CPT ) of us struggle recall. Humans to retrieve memories of their early life stages in the wrong place water. Words to describe what you remember it now second birthday memory only really starts improving at age 8 to.... Age 8 to 10 research focused on rats, which can lead to dissociative.! Reflects a developmental critical period for hippocampal learning can also mess with their perception of time at you often youll!