Being abused sexually is one of the worst experiences that a person could ever have. The victims of these traumatic events usually repress their memory of the occurrence. Memory repression is defined as an adjusting mechanism which gives the victim a chance to survive physically, mentally and emotionally. These memories are usually retrieved during the time that the person is already ready to face the painful and stressing past event.
The following are some of the most evident repressed memories symptoms that the adults usually experience if they had been abused during their young days. With this, you will have some knowledge and realizations about these victims and you can help them to recover in a faster way.
Repressed Memories Symptoms
- Scarcity of Confidence- this is the most usual sign of repressed memory. Persons believe that they become defective right after the incident and they also develop mistaken beliefs and diminish their confidence rate.
- Low Self Confidence- individuals believe that they are repulsive and ugly. That concept has never been changed in them despite thenumerous positive comments and appraisal to them. They believe that there is always that something which lacks within them.
- Strong Inadequacy Feeling- they doubt their competence and abilities to do things. They prohibit achievements that are personal.
- Difficulty in Trusting a Person- Because of the abuse that they have undergone when they were young, they came up with a belief that no one deserves to be respected and trusted by them. They often sabotage intimate relationships and friendships and they do not believe that the other people are also caring for them. When they are also hurt, they usually bring the pain with them at all times and they believe that no one can accept them for they were abused in their past life.
- Meeting Problems in Relationships- persons with repressed memories chose the inadequate and abusive partners they think match with them. They believe that they are unworthy of having good lifetime partners.
- Abused Aalcohol, Drugs, and Food- people who are abused punish themselves by eating too much food, drugs and alcohol. They believe that they are not attractive at all and are not willing anymore to improve themselves.
- Insufficient Emotional Control- these persons are usually not good in managing their emotional feelings. Sometimes, they do it too much and at other times, they are taken away by their emotions and are easily bursting in tears.
- Frequent Panic Attacks- they portray several panic attacks through screaming, heart racing, vision alters, shaking, sweating, nausea, difficult breathing, etc.
- Experiencing Phobias- their phobias can be shown in the form of self punishment and sabotage.
- Sleep Disturbances- people with this illness experience unfavorable nightmares and insomnia. Others also prefer the excessive type of sleeping as a form of their coping up.
There are still more repressed memory symptoms that you must know. Research on them and ask for advice from the experts. In this way, you will be able to help the abused victims and help them recover faster.