The contemporary society is characterized by massive numbers of people with repressed memories; as a result of the various traumatic encounters, people go through. It is not every memory that human beings wish to recall. Painful memories are stored somewhere in the deepest and darkest sections of the unconscious mind. Studies indicate that memory repression is an outcome of actual neurological transformations that occur in the human brain after an individual has suffered immense trauma and stress. The brain suppresses traumatic and stressful memories to enable an individual to survive harsh experiences. Sigmund Freud is remembered for his vast contributions in this particular area. Freud defined memory repression as a strategy employed by the mind, to deter an individual from recalling painful events. He further contended that repression results from the ability of the human brain to unconsciously shield itself from trauma, distinguishing repression from suppression, in which the brain consciously decides to suppress unwanted memories. Researchers and scientists, among other individuals, have made it their priority quest to determine the reasons why human beings repress memories. The human mind represses memories as a defense mechanism to protect the body from the trauma and hurt that occasions sad and unpleasant memories.
According to O’Gara, Muris, Howe, & Merckelbach (2017), the majority of the individuals with repressed memories have past experiences of sexual abuse and violence. This is attributed to the prevalence of various forms of child abuse in the contemporary society. Individuals who have been raised up in homes that are characterized by frequent violence, as well as those who have been sexually defiled at some point of their life, are often reported to have no recall of such experiences. It is mostly because the mind hides these painful memories to the deepest core of the unconscious mind, in a bid of deterring the body from further hurt and trauma (Otgaar, Muris, Howe, & Merckelbach, 2017).
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According to McDonald (2017) young children who have been subjected to sexual abuse by individuals who are close to them, repress these memories so that they can forget the hurtful memories, and maintain a good relationship with their victimizers since it is them that these children rely on. The human mind protects itself from hurt and trauma by repressing unpleasant memories. The research focuses primarily on human memory, which is a vital area of cognitive psychology. The researcher examines explicitly the factors that cause memory repression in human beings. Two theories which are highly applicable to the selected topic will be employed. The theories include the betrayal trauma theory and the theory of dissociation. The theories comprehensively examine the human mind, as well as the various factors that foster memory repression or dissociation. The theories are therefore precious and relevant for the research since they will promote an intense understanding of the multiple issues that induce memory repression, and the potential strategies that individuals, and healthcare providers can use to resolve, unresolved inner conflicts, as well as restore the mind to its normal condition.
Repressed memories have significant impact on the cognitive functioning of an individual. According to McKinnon et al. (2016), memory repression is detrimental to an individual’s health, even though it enables people to survive and protect themselves from severe and continuous trauma and pain (McKinnon et al. 2016). Cognitive dysfunction, which is a primary characteristic of many psychiatric disorders, is one of the most extreme effects of repressed memories. Repressed memories render an individual unable to think effectively, pay attention to a single thing, among others. Repressed memories, therefore, have an adverse impact on cognition. The research is driven by the question, “How can enhancements in the current psychological treatments cater to the needs of people with repressed memories?”
Contemporary Relevance
Gagnon, Lee, & DePrince (2017) examine the betrayal trauma theory to enhance individuals understanding of the repressed memories, as well as other memory-related disruptions in individuals who are reliant on their abusers. Repression is a strategy used to forget the heinous act, and maintain a close relationship with the perpetrator with whom the victim is highly reliant. According to Gagnon, Lee, & DE Prince (2017), the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator imposes immense pressure on the victim to repress the bad memories so that he/she can maintain the relationship with the abuser. The maintained attachment forces the abused child to minimize awareness of the abuse.
The betrayal dynamics augment cognitive and emotional functioning, which inhibit awareness of the unpleasant memories. The theory is very relevant and applicable to this research since it gives sound explanations for the causes of repressed memories in children who have a history of sexual abuse. Additionally, the theory provides the exact reason why most young victims of childhood abuse have no memories of these incidences, which is its main strength. The chief flaw of the theory is that it only accounts for young children who have been subjected to abuse by close acquaintances. The theory fails to account for the causes of depression in adult victims of violence, as well as those who have been abused by people other than those they are closely related to. The betrayal trauma theory framework might be useful in enabling therapists to make effective decisions about whether or not they should employ cognitive processing therapy for the treatment of repressed memories, or behavioral therapy to cater for relationship issues.
The dissociation theory contends that dissociate phenomena plays a critical role in extensively diverse post-traumatic responses. The theory further argues that when human beings face unpleasant and traumatic experiences, they undergo a process of dissociation, in which, various mental functions, which are typically incorporated with other core functions, deviate from the norm (Terhune & Cardeña, 2015). Hence operating in a more orderly or automatic manner, outside the domain of awareness. The primary strength of the theory is that broadly explicates how dissociation is used by human beings as a psychological shield against devastating traumatic experiences. Nonetheless, the theory is weak since it fails to explain specifically which parts of the brain dissociate after traumatic experiences (Terhune & Cardeña, 2015). Nevertheless, the theory advocates for the use of dissociating hypnosis as an effective means of restoring the mind to its normal functioning. Hypnosis promotes the thorough integration of all the cognitive parts, for adequate performance.
Interpretation of Research Findings
Efrati et al. (2018) examine the impact of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the stimulation of the neuroplasticity in patients with Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). FMS is considered an archetype of central sensitization syndrome. It is manifested by immense chronic and widespread pain, supplemented by fatigue, repressed memories, and other cognitive difficulties. Efrati et al. (2018) conduct two randomized control trials to examine the effectiveness of HBOT. The results were the repossession of repressed, or rather dissociative memories. The tests were devoid of psychological interventions. The resurfacing of the repressed memories resulted in the alleviation of pain in the patients with FMS.
A total of nine FMS patients experienced memory retrieval during the HBOT intervention. The research findings are highly applicable to my research question since they indicate the need for the adoption of the HBOT intervention in the treatment of dissociation. Furthermore, the research findings are significant since they offer an effective intervention, as opposed to the conventional ones, which can be used in the recovery of repressed memories and the treatment of the health issues that occasion repression (Efrati et al. 2018). The primary strength of the article is that it provides the researcher with high-quality evidence since randomized control trials are used to examine the success of HBOT. The fact that the study involved a small number of patients is one core limitation.
Additionally, the deficiency of brain SPECT imaging in the study participants is also another limitation, which affects the reliability and validity of the study, regarding its =usage in this particular research. Furthermore, the study examines only patients suffering from FMS, as opposed to a variety of patients suffering from diverse conditions. The results cannot be entirely relied upon due to this aspect. Nonetheless, the study offers sufficient and reliable evidence to indicate the productivity of HBOT in the treatment of dissociation (Efrati et al. 2018). The article is crucial for this research since it will act as a foundation for further studies on the effectiveness of HBOT in the treatment of dissociation
Joanna (2017), on the other hand, advocates for the use of therapy as an effective strategy to treat individuals with repressed memories, or dissociation. The author argues that these therapies take place in some critical steps. In the initial stage, therapists convince their patients that the recovery of the repressed memories is the key to ending their problems. Joanna (2017) argues that it is after this that other therapeutic procedures such as hypnosis, and guided imagery are used, to impact remembrance of the repressed memories. Furthermore, aside from these, the use of sodium amytal, a well-known truth induction serum can be used, enable patients to conceal the memories and truths that they have repressed.
Nonetheless, the author contends that majority of these techniques result in the development of false memories, as opposed to the recovery of repressed memories, which is one core limitation of the research (Joanna, 2017). The article is useful since it offers an answer to the research question. The author emphasizes the vitality of a combination of therapies, in the reclamation of blocked memories, and the restoration of the patient’s psychological health. Furthermore, it gives insight on various ways in which the current therapeutic intervention for this form of illness can be enhanced, For instance, through the combination of a variety of techniques, such as the administration of truth serum, hypnosis, and dream interpretation, among others.
The core strength of the article is that the author draws information from a vast number of studies. Therefore, the information provided has been the result of extensive research. Nonetheless, the quality of the evidence in the article is inferior. The author confirms what is already known, as opposed to what is not known. The research is mostly derivative, and it is deficient in any experiments and trials to test the hypothesis. Nonetheless, a lot of useful information can be found in the article, to heighten the researchers understanding of repression, its causes, as well as potential solutions. The information derived from the study can be employed as the basis for extensive research.
Methodological Principles
Axmacher, Do Lam, Kessler, & Fell (2010) recommend the investigation of dissociation in healthy control subjects. In addition, the author suggests more experimentation on patients with repressed memories, through the use of narrative exposure therapy. The intervention centers on stimulating a re-integration of the memory network since it places the long-lost memories in a coherent context. The experiment, if conducted, would be solely for people suffering from dissociation alone, or supplemented by other diseases such as FMS, PTSD, and depression, for the most effective, consistent, and valid results. Prior to experimentation, the participants would be educated thoroughly on the potential risks of new problems, as well as likely performance issues, as I accordance with various ethical principles such as that of patient autonomy. The potential implications of this intervention are enabling people with repressed memories to be able to retrieve hidden memories, and effectively cope with them, to restore the minds normal cognitive functioning. The positive health outcomes would impact an embrace of the new intervention, promoting the psychological welfare of various individuals in the society
Conclusion
The issue of memory repression or dissociation has also become a topic of great interest to different health specialists, scientists, and other researchers. The implementation of the use of the narrative exposure therapy can be beneficial in enabling individuals with repressed memories to fully recover and learn how to cope with their unresolved conflicts effectively. The employment of this therapeutic procedure would outcome a positive change in the therapeutic interventions used in treating memory repression. In addition, the implementation of the proposed intervention would assist scientists to conduct further experiments on the intervention and ascertain their claims with regards to the productivity of narrative exposure therapy in the treatment of dissociation. Moreover, the enactment of the proposed intervention would mark a new era of augmented psychological health.
References
Axmacher, N., Do Lam, A. T., Kessler, H., & Fell, J. (2010). Natural memory beyond the storage model: repression, trauma, and the construction of a personal past. Frontiers in human neuroscience , 4 , 211.
Efrati, S., Hadanny, A., Daphna-Tekoah, S., Bechor, Y., Tiberg, K., Pik, N., & Lev-Wiesel, R. (2018). Recovery of Repressed Memories in Fibromyalgia Patients Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen-Case Series Presentation and Suggested Bio-Psycho-Social Mechanism. Frontiers in psychology , 9 , 848.
Gagnon, K. L., Lee, M. S., & DePrince, A. P. (2017). Victim–perpetrator dynamics through the lens of betrayal trauma theory. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation , 18 (3), 373-382.
Joanna, U. (2017). Recovered memories in clinical practice–a research review. Psychiatry. Pol , 51 (4), 609-618.
McDonald, A. (2017). Recovered Memory of Childhood Sexual Abuse: An overview of research evidence and guidelines. Australian College of Applied Psychology.
McKinnon, M. C., Boyd, J. E., Frewen, P. A., Lanius, U. F., Jetly, R., Richardson, J. D., & Lanius, R. A. (2016). A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions. Neuropsychologia , 90 , 210-234.
Otgaar, H., Muris, P., Howe, M. L., & Merckelbach, H. (2017). What drives false memories in psychopathology? A case for associative activation. Clinical Psychological Science , 5 (6), 1048-1069.
Terhune, D. B., & Cardeña, E. (2015). Dissociative subtypes in posttraumatic stress disorders and hypnosis: Neurocognitive parallels and clinical implications. Current Directions in
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