Is it possible to be affected by traumatic events from your past that you can’t even remember clearly? Many mental health experts believe that the signs of repressed childhood trauma can have a long-term negative impact on almost every part of your life.
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What Is Childhood Trauma?
Childhood trauma refers to the lasting psychological impact of disturbing experiences that a person endured prior to age 18. Clinicians often use the term adverse childhood experiences (ACES) to describe the types of occurrences that can cause trauma.
Causes
Examples of childhood experiences that can increase a person’s risk of developing trauma include:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual assault
- Neglect
- Verbal or emotional abuse
- Being placed in foster care
- Witnessing violence in the home or community
- Substance use in the household
- Parental mental illness
- Homelessness or housing instability
- Financial hardship
- Parental absence due to separation, divorce, incarceration, or death
- Death or other sudden loss of a close family member
Prevalence
Adverse childhood experiences are unfortunately common. According to an October 2024 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- 76.1% of high school students have endured at least one ACE.
- 18.5% of high school students have gone through four or more ACEs.
- 61.5% of students told researchers that they had experienced emotional abuse.
- Physical abuse (31.8%) and mental illness in the household (28.4%) were the second and third most commonly reported ACEs.
- With the exception of physical violence, all ACEs were more common among female students than among male students.
- With the exception of physical neglect, all ACEs were more prevalent among members of the LGBTQIA+ community than among heterosexual students.
What Is Repressed Trauma?
The theory of repressed trauma is that a person’s brain may attempt to protect them from continued distress by blocking memories of particularly horrific experiences. Other terms that are commonly used to describe this phenomenon include repressed memories and dissociative amnesia.
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) identifies three types of dissociative amnesia:
- Localized amnesia – the most common type, which involves the inability to recall a specific event or all events that occurred during a specific time period
- Selective amnesia – similar to localized amnesia, but the individual can recall some events during the time period
- Generalized amnesia – complete loss of memory, which can include loss of personal identity
The DSM-5 also reports that people who struggle with this type of memory loss are often unaware or only minimally aware of the problem. When presented with evidence, they may dismiss concerns altogether, minimize the significant of their struggles, or otherwise indicate their discomfort with the topic.
Signs of Repressed Childhood Trauma
Potential signs that you have been living with repressed childhood trauma include:
- Difficulty remembering your childhood, which can include memory gaps ranging from weeks to years
- False memories, which can be the mind’s attempt to fill in these gaps
- Sense of emotional numbness or detachment
- Finding it difficult or impossible to trust others
- Unexplained anxiety or other emotional distress in certain locations
- Ongoing physical symptoms that have no apparent medical cause
- Dissociation, which feels like you’ve become separated from your thoughts, emotions, body, or surroundings
- Hypervigilance, or being persistently on “high alert” due to the belief that you’re perpetually in danger
- Exaggerated startle response, which can include reacting with excessive fear, anger, or aggressiveness when surprised
- Responding in an immature manner or reverting to a childlike state in times of stress or conflict
It is important to note that none of these symptoms are incontrovertible proof of repressed childhood trauma. They may also result from a neurological condition, medical problem, injury, or other cause.
This underscores the necessity of consulting with your doctor or scheduling an assessment with a reputable mental health treatment provider in your area if you’ve been experiencing any of these signs. The professional who conducts your evaluation can help you understand the scope of the challenge you’re facing and recommend appropriate treatment options.
Potential Effects of Repressed Childhood Trauma
Though some experts believe that repressed childhood trauma represents your brain’s ability to you, it often has the opposite effect.
For example, undiagnosed or untreated childhood trauma can increase your risk of developing several mental health concerns, including:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD)
- Conduct disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Eating disorders
But the impact of unaddressed childhood trauma isn’t limited to mental health. Multiple research efforts have revealed that having a history of ACEs can increase the likelihood that you will experience:
- Disrupted brain development
- Diminished cognitive functioning
- Risky and/or criminal behavior
- Substance abuse and addiction
- Chronic health problems
- Tobacco use
- Severe obesity
- Attempted suicide
- Early death
Also, several signs of repressed childhood trauma – such as mood swings, difficulty trusting others, emotional numbness, and hypervigilance – can undermine your ability to form and maintain healthy friendships and romantic relationships.
These symptoms can also affect your performance in school and at work, which in turn can be harmful to your job prospects, career development, and financial well-being.
Find Treatment for Repressed Childhood Trauma in Atlanta
If you suspect that repressed childhood trauma has been affecting your mental health or overall quality of life, North Atlanta Behavioral Health is here for you.
Treatment options at our mental health rehab center in Atlanta, GA, include a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and an outpatient program (OP). Our team will work closely with you to understand how you have been impacted by your past trauma, then develop a truly customized plan to address your unique needs and help you achieve a much healthier and more hopeful future.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
