So one time, I was on a bus and this guy next to me was very bored and said “When the bell rings, the time will be 10:30 am…DING!”, “When the bell rings, the time will be 10:31 am…DING!”, in a robotic voice.
At first I was confused. I didn’t know what he was talking about. Then I stared at him and I could just feel a wave of nostalgia. A very distant memory almost forgotten came back. I’m 7 years old, bored at home with nothing to do pre-internet. I call a landline number that has a service that tells you the time and just listen in… that’s exactly what the telephone lady would say. OMG he’s imitating the landline time service lol
It felt very satisfying too. It’s like a eureka moment but for memory rather than thought.
Anything similar happen to you?
Often yes, it’s (partially) how repressed memories work. And yes, those are real, it’s similar to why doctors always mention amnesiacs from accidents recovering memories little by little (usually takes a week, the mind is amazing). On the downside, it’s the main reason why, when describing past events, I’ve noticed something I mention about my past might say one thing while another thing I’ve said elsewhere seems to have the potential to indirectly challenge that, because the pedantic aspects (not the memories themselves) shift.
“Repressed” memories aren’t a thing. I would suggest that you read up on the body of work by Dr. Elizabeth Loftus. On the other hand, people forget thing, and certain things–smells, sounds–can trigger those memories. But these aren’t deeply traumatic memories that your unconscious mind is repressing to protect you, you’re just forgetting things.
Dr. Loftus has also authored a number of papers about the formation of false memories, and how people can be led to believe that they remember things that are absolutely, 100% false. Almost all of the cases of “repressed” memories from the 70s-90s, particularly during the Satanic Panic, are actually false memories created by the person asking questions. Unfortunately, much like the nonsense idea of multiple personalities, it’s one of those alluring concepts that simply won’t die, even among clinicians, despite the dearth of supporting evidence.
Interestingly, every time you recall a memory, it’s wiped out, and then has to be re-encoded. So recalling and rehearsing a memory makes it more likely that details will change and be lost. Even things that should be hugely significant–like where you were on 11 September 2001 (…for the people in their 30s and older…)–often get misremembered, and sometimes very strikingly.
I suggest you read up on dissociative disorders. “Multiple personalities” is absolutely a thing, it just doesn’t match the sensationalized portrayals found in popular media. These disorders (and non-pathological plurality as well) can feature “repressed memories” in the sense that members of a system may not have access to memories that are held by other members. In fact, the experience of “lost time” is a common indicator of plurality.
The fact that memories can be falsely implanted, and often were during a particular period of media-induced mass panic, is not proof that memories can’t also be repressed.
::sigh::
Look at the group that’s pushed for multiple personalities to be recognized; it’s the ISSTD. This is the same group that also pushes ideas of alien abduction, ritual satanic abuse, and CIA mind control through their RAMCOA SIG. It’s simply not credible.
