Repressed childhood trauma can have a profound impact on an adult’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. If you suspect you may have experienced childhood trauma but can’t recall specific events, you might be dealing with repressed memories.
Our early experiences, particularly adverse ones like abuse or neglect, can cast long shadows over our lives, profoundly shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us. These experiences can condition us to believe, deep down, that we are only worthy of further hardship. Consequently, the very idea of vulnerability – opening ourselves up in new relationships, friendships, careers, or even to the possibility of achievement – can feel terrifying, almost paralysing. Our instinct becomes to push away, to shut down, to withdraw, all in a misguided attempt to protect ourselves. Yet, ironically, these
actions often lead us down familiar paths of disappointment.
