Repressed Memories

[Prisoner]

Hi,

I was hospitalized with VM at the age of 7 back in 1973. Shortly after hospitalization, I slipped into a coma in which I remained for around a month. When I first gained consciousness, I couldn’t walk or talk, but I eventually re-learned to do both. My total hospital stay lasted 2 months, about 3/4 of which I can’t consciously remember. The thing that I’ve struggled with from the time that I was released from hospital is: I know I suffered a lot of psychological trauma from some of the treatments that I received while in hospital and, though I have no conscious memory of them, I’m certain that my subconscious remembers at least some of them. Does anybody have any experience unlocking repressed memories like this? Many people (both professional & non-professional) have told me that remembering what was done to me will do more harm than good, but I’ve never been able to get past the trauma because, I believe, I’ve never been able to put it all into perspective. I’m not on a witch-hunt, I know that the treatments I received were medically necessary at the time, but I feel that this is the only way to get past the trauma. Thank you.

[Hexy]

Hi, there is a treatment for this,if you go through your go for an appointment with the mental health problems , they can refer you, I had CBT which led to diagnosis PTSD Through this I was still very angry and aggitated, So I'm now going (same hospital) EMDR. Today will be my first. I had menoencephalitis like you in Hospital around 2/3months. I was 35 am now 61 still have memory issues, have had to fight like hell to get an appointment with the mental health services. Apparently long waiting list. It's not for everyone, because I had CBT before and it was rubbish, this time better, I think it had a lot to do with the professional dealing with you. This lady has been brilliant, brought out repressed memories, some not nice, they fought to get me straight into EMDR. I hope this was helpful. Anita 💜

[Prisoner in reply to Hexy]

Thanks for your input. I have tried CBT, EMDR and even hypnosis to no avail. That’s not to say that, if I could find a decent therapist, I wouldn’t have more success. One obstacle I keep running into is I find that many mental health professionals are scared of what might happen to me psychologically if I unlock these memories. The irony is I already know what was done to me, I just don’t have conscious memory of it.

[Mads1975]

Hello, I too was hospitalised with bacterial TB meningitis. Whilst not slipping into a coma, the first fortnight was often scary as I was still experiencing hallucinations and have little memory of this time.

This led me to order a personal data request for the 4 months I was in hospital which helped jog some of the memories. Having said that, deciphering the handwritten notes was a struggle