Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question about recovered memories? There’s a chance the answer lies in the list below. Check out these frequently asked questions about recovered memories, PTSD and the ability to heal in the absence of concrete answers. Relevant vocab words are italicized and hyperlinked. Click on them to learn their respective definitions.
What are recovered memories?
Answer
Recovered memories are memories of traumatic events that were once outside of conscious awareness and later come back into awareness. These memories may surface suddenly, in fragments, or through body sensations, emotions, or images. Sometimes, what were once implicit memories—flashes of fear, body reactions, or triggers without clear meaning—become explicit memories, as the person realizes they connect to past trauma.
Why do we sometimes forget trauma?
Answer
Our brains never encode every detail of any experience, traumatic or not. However, during trauma, attention often narrows to what feels most important or survivable in the moment, which memory researchers call central details. For example, a child being abused may focus intently on the pattern of the ceiling or the sound of music in the background, rather than what is happening to their body. These central details may be remembered later, while other parts fade or never fully encode. Dissociation can also block awareness at the time, leading to gaps in memory. Trauma can therefore be remembered in fragments, sensations, or body reactions rather than as a clear story.
Can I heal without a memory?
Answer
Absolutely. Healing doesn’t require a clear memory of what happened. Trauma lives not just in stories but in emotions, body sensations, beliefs and patterns of survival. Therapy can help regulate the nervous system, reduce symptoms, and build safety, whether or not the memory is recalled. Dealing with fragmented memories may make your journey more unique and experimental at times, but it is by no means less valid.
Is it possible I’ll never remember?
Answer
Yes, it is entirely possible you’ll never recover the ‘full’ narrative of a traumatic experience. We never remember everything about any experience, traumatic or not. And every time we recall a memory, it’s always a reconstruction of the past, not a direct translation of it. However, not remembering does not mean the trauma wasn’t real, and it certainly doesn’t define your ability to heal.
Can therapy create false memories?
Answer
Yes, therapy can sometimes lead to false memories, especially if suggestive techniques are used. Research and real-world cases have shown that when therapists rely on methods such as hypnosis, guided imagery, or repeated leading questions, clients may come to believe in memories of events that never actually happened. Studies like the well-known “lost-in-the-mall” experiment demonstrated how people can form vivid but false childhood memories through suggestion alone. The danger comes when a therapist steps outside evidence-based practice and encourages clients to search for specific “hidden” memories rather than allowing healing to unfold naturally.
How do I know if a memory is real or not?
Answer
Unfortunately, there’s no reliable way to know for certain whether a memory is true without external confirmation, such as records, witnesses, or consistent corroborating details. Memory is not like a video camera. Instead, it’s reconstructive, meaning that each time we recall something, we rebuild it from fragments of perception, emotion, and imagination. This process makes memories vulnerable to distortion over time.
Because of this, many trauma specialists encourage people to focus less on whether every detail of a memory is “real” and more on the feelings and themes the memory carries, since those can guide healing regardless of factual certainty.
How do I know if a memory is real or not?
Answer
Unfortunately, there’s no reliable way to know for certain whether a memory is true without external confirmation, such as records, witnesses, or consistent corroborating details. Memory is not like a video camera. Instead, it’s reconstructive, meaning that each time we recall something, we rebuild it from fragments of perception, emotion, and imagination. This process makes memories vulnerable to distortion over time.
Because of this, many trauma specialists encourage people to focus less on whether every detail of a memory is “real” and more on the feelings and themes the memory carries, since those can guide healing regardless of factual certainty.
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