What Is Repressed Trauma?

Trauma has a way of sticking around, even after the traumatic event has already passed. Even the most painful experiences that we don’t want to remember or think about don’t just fade away. Instead, they tend to get buried deep within our minds—so deep that we don’t even realize they’re still there.

This is repressed trauma. It’s your brain’s way of protecting itself. Dealing with those unsettling or negative thoughts and emotions can be overwhelming and difficult to process, so the brain works to store them away so that you don’t have to. Let’s learn more about repressed trauma. 

Defining Repressed Trauma

Repressed trauma describes the traumatic experiences that a person consciously or unconsciously pushes out of their general awareness. It is a way for the brain to protect itself from any pain or stress associated with a traumatic event.

Repressing doesn’t mean that the traumatic event is completely forgotten about. It’s more like you’re placing those memories in a locked box and misplacing the key. This may seem like a great way to not have to deal with what happened, but it’s only a temporary solution. There are long-term consequences for not properly dealing with trauma.

The Effects of Repressed Trauma

The brain has many defense mechanisms, and many of them come with a cost. The act of repressing trauma is a mechanism that can help you get through something that can be too difficult or intense to deal with.

In the short term, pushing away difficult feelings can help you get through the day. But in the long run, unprocessed trauma can start to have long-term negative consequences on how you view yourself, your mental health, and the various relationships in your life.

The Signs of Repressed Trauma

So, how are you supposed to know if you have repressed trauma, especially if you can’t really remember the exact traumatic event or all of the details? Repressed trauma can still show up in your daily life. These are some of the most common signs:

• Anxiety
• Avoiding people, places, or certain topics
• Being guarded or not getting too close to others
• Chronic pain
• Depression
• Difficulty trusting others
• Emotional outbursts
• Fatigue
• Feeling numb
• Flashbacks with certain situations, sounds, or smells

When it comes to repressed trauma, these symptoms tend to happen without you knowing why and for reasons that you can’t quite explain

How to Move Forward

To move forward, you have to be able to process repressed memories and trauma. That means taking the time to recover memories that may be difficult to deal with. When it comes to recovering repressed memories, it’s recommended to gain support through a licensed and trained mental health professional.

A trained professional can help guide you through a trauma-informed therapy approach like guided imagery, somatic experiencing, or EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). All of these therapy approaches can help you explore your subconscious mind to recover those repressed memories in the comfort of a safe and controlled environment.

The overall goal of these therapy approaches isn’t to immediately bring painful memories to the surface. The goal is to create a safe space where you can begin emotional healing.

Get the Support You Need

Repressed trauma could be negatively impacting your life. Even though repressing painful memories can offer short-term relief, any unprocessed trauma can start to affect other areas of life. If you keep pushing those painful thoughts and feelings down, there will be nowhere left for them to go, and they’ll come bubbling up like lava in a volcano, ready to explode.

Don’t wait any longer. There’s no better time than the present to see how therapy for repressed trauma can help. Reach out today to start uncovering the layers and kickstart your path toward healing.

About the Author

Christian Bumpous, LMFT, LPC is a licensed mental health therapist and founder of Therapie, Nashville’s leading destination for busy professionals seeking to thrive in life, work, and relationships. Christian specializes in helping professionals navigate life transitions, improve relationships, and overcome challenges like depression and anxiety. With a tailored approach that meets the unique needs of high-performing individuals, he offers therapy sessions in both English and German, available in-person or online.