A very good article. Memory repression is a real phenomenon and it can result in disfunction. Recognized by the majority of psychiatrict experts in DSM IV and the soon to released DSM V as Dissociative Amnesia. Hypnosis, relaxation techniques, have proven very effective at breaching the wall of repression constructed by our subconcious minds. There have been cases of theraputic coaching and memories which were contructed and not recovered. False memories can result even without suggestions from therapists. And breaching the wall of repression does not mean we have somehow entirely removed the subconscious mind's influence. We forgot for a reason, and those same reasons may continue to intefere with our ability to accurately recall. There are aspects of the truth that may continue to be too painful to remember. A comment was made, "If a client 'recovers' a memory that seems alien to them, it is likely to be false as there are limits to repression." I think I understand and agree but the comment could be misinterpreted. In a sense all recovered memories have a very distinct feeling of having been alien. That is the nature of dissociation. I think it would be better to say "If a client 'recovers' a memory that seems totally out of character to them, it is likely to be false as there are limits to repression." Although I tend to agree with this statement, it does have its own limitations. We don't always know, or can't remember, what we are capable of.
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A very good article. Memory repression is a real phenomenon and it can result in disfunction. Recognized by the majority of psychiatrict experts in DSM IV and the soon to released DSM V as Dissociative Amnesia. Hypnosis, relaxation techniques, have proven very effective at breaching the wall of repression constructed by our subconcious minds. There have been cases of theraputic coaching and memories which were contructed and not recovered. False memories can result even without suggestions from therapists. And breaching the wall of repression does not mean we have somehow entirely removed the subconscious mind's influence. We forgot for a reason, and those same reasons may continue to intefere with our ability to accurately recall. There are aspects of the truth that may continue to be too painful to remember. A comment was made, "If a client 'recovers' a memory that seems alien to them, it is likely to be false as there are limits to repression." I think I understand and agree but the comment could be misinterpreted. In a sense all recovered memories have a very distinct feeling of having been alien. That is the nature of dissociation. I think it would be better to say "If a client 'recovers' a memory that seems totally out of character to them, it is likely to be false as there are limits to repression." Although I tend to agree with this statement, it does have its own limitations. We don't always know, or can't remember, what we are capable of.
October 15, 2012 - 10:23amThis Comment
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