The Repression Defense Mechanism May Be Why You’re Forgetting Memories

Curious about Sigmund Freud’s theory of the repression defense mechanism? Read on to learn if you might have repressed memories of trauma.

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Do you ever feel like you have significant chunks of time missing from your memories, especially if you’ve endured a traumatic incident or incidents? If so, you might be experiencing memory repression linked to trauma. The concept of repression and repressed memories dates back to the early 1900s and the work of Sigmund Freud, who is often referred to as the “father of psychoanalysis.” In his psychoanalytic theory, Freud viewed repression as a defense mechanism that humans use to protect themselves.

Although Freud’s work, including his thoughts around repression, is criticized by many, there’s no denying that trauma can absolutely impact our minds and bodies in numerous ways. If you’re a trauma survivor, your brain might be working behind the scenes to keep these traumatic memories at bay to keep you safe –– however, repressed memories and unresolved trauma can hinder your healing. Read on to learn about what a psychological defense mechanism is, how repression acts as a defense mechanism, signs of repression, and more. 

Understanding the repression defense mechanism

First, it’s important to understand what a defense mechanism is. “A psychological defense mechanism is a mental process used to protect an individual from anxiety or distress,” says Anne Oeswein, LPC-S, M.Ed, a Clinical Supervisor at Charlie Health. “These mechanisms help to manage emotions, thoughts, and feelings that may be overwhelming or threatening. They often operate unconsciously and can serve as a wave to cope with reality or maintain self-esteem.” 

On top of Freudian repression, some other defense mechanisms you may have heard of are denial, projection, and regression. Ultimately, the purpose of any defense mechanism is to protect you in one way or another from psychological distress.

“Repression is a psychological defense mechanism that involves unconsciously pushing distressing thoughts, memories, or feelings out of conscious awareness,” Oeswein says. “This process helps individuals avoid experiencing anxiety or emotional pain associated with these unwanted thoughts. By repressing these elements, a person can maintain psychological stability and cope with daily life without being overwhelmed.”

Even longer periods of time might be repressed, such as years of childhood that you struggle to remember, especially if you had a traumatic upbringing.  

However, just because your mind isn’t actively thinking about these negative memories or traumatic incidents, it doesn’t mean the trauma is gone. “With repression, your body endures the trauma more so than your brain,” says Na’Keora Bryant, MSC, a Charlie Health Group Facilitator.

Your body somatizes the trauma, she says, meaning the trauma is stored in your body and can manifest in physical ways. Plainly speaking, your body remembers and holds the trauma. This is often the case with unresolved trauma, especially. 

The difference between repression and suppression

You may also have heard the terms “suppression” or “suppressed memories.” These are not the same as repression and repressed memories. The biggest difference is that repression is unconscious, while suppression is a conscious decision to deliberately avoid painful, undesired thoughts or emotions, Bryant explains.

“Typically, with suppression, your brain is like, ‘Ouch, this hurts. I don’t want to deal with this,’ so you constantly and deliberately put that thought to the back of your mind,” Bryant says. “With repression, your body endures the trauma more so than your brain, and it somatizes. You don’t necessarily know that you’re repressing this trauma.”

Since a repressed memory lies beneath your conscious awareness, uncovering it can take more work than a suppressed memory. 

Signs of repression

Since you don’t realize you’re repressing memories, you’ll have to look for other signs that you’re experiencing the repression defense mechanism.

Oeswein says repressed memories can manifest in the following ways:

• Memory gaps
• Emotional distress
• Avoidance behavior
• Trouble with relationships
• Mood swings
• Substance abuse

When it comes to the repressed emotions, memories, and trauma manifesting physically, Bryant says common ways for them to show up are chronic muscle tension, body aches, headaches, and loss of appetite. Mentally, hypervigilance is also a sign of repression, she adds. This means you often feel on guard, looking for danger.

Recognizing these signs is the crucial first step toward understanding how repression may be affecting you mentally and physically. If you notice any of these patterns, it’s important to seek professional support. A therapist can help you work towards uncovering and processing repressed memories in a safe environment. It’s best to seek trauma-informed therapy. 

The impact of repression on mental health and trauma recovery

Trauma needs to be experienced and processed in order for you to heal. The repression defense mechanism, although trying to protect you, ends up backfiring.

You can’t block a traumatic memory out of your mind forever –– you need to face it head-on, as hard as that may be (and this is where a therapist comes in handy). “You have to bring those memories to the surface before you can even understand exactly how they’ve impacted you,” Bryant says. “In short, you can’t recover from trauma without addressing those repressed symptoms.”

Essentially, without processing your trauma, the symptoms will stick with you. “When traumatic memories are repressed, they may not be processed or integrated into the individual’s understanding of their experiences,” Oeswein says. “This can lead to complications later. The unresolved trauma may manifest in physical ways or in behaviors that seem unrelated to the original event.”

This is why it’s so important to feel your feelings and put in the work to address repressed and suppressed memories. Otherwise, your mental health and even physical health will continue to take a toll. “Individuals may gradually uncover repressed memories associated with trauma in therapy,” Oeswein says. “This process can be challenging but is often necessary for healing, as it allows individuals to confront and process their past experiences in a safe environment.”

Treatment for trauma and repressed memories

There are many therapy modalities to help address trauma and repressed memories. A few examples are: 

1. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR was developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This unique therapy uses bilateral (side-to-side) stimulation coupled with recalling traumatic memories. The bilateral stimulation can be done with back-and-forth eye movements, sounds, or tactile sensations. When a therapist leads you through the EMDR process, your brain can process a traumatic memory (or memories) and store it differently, ultimately making the trauma affect you less by decreasing emotional intensity. It’s possible for EMDR to also bring up memories you’ve forgotten about. 

2. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT helps you examine your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You will examine your thought patterns and beliefs, identifying which ones are unhelpful and unhealthy. Often, trauma impacts our thought patterns, leading to negative beliefs about ourselves –– or even negative beliefs about the world around us. CBT will help you challenge these thoughts and beliefs, creating healthier ones. This therapy can also help depression and anxiety, commonly linked to trauma.

Additionally, there’s a subtype of CBT called trauma-focused CBT, or TF-CBT, which is specifically designed for trauma survivors, especially young people and their families. 

3. Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is closely linked to the work of Sigmund Freud. It explores human behavior and emotions, helping people explore unconscious thoughts and memories, Bryant says. This helps them gain a deeper understanding of where their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors stem from. Psychodynamic therapy has been shown to be especially helpful for complex trauma. 

4. Somatic therapy

Somatic therapy, or somatic experiencing, is a “body-oriented trauma therapy.” In contrast to talk therapies such as CBT, somatic therapy focuses on how your body feels. Bryant says somatic therapy is based on what trauma your body has endured and how your body has responded to these things. It can help you address physical symptoms that have accumulated due to trauma. The goal is to release stored trauma from the body. You may feel repressed emotions and other sensations leave your body as you continue to make progress with this therapy. 

How Charlie Health can help

If you’re a trauma survivor or you think you may have repressed memories, Charlie Health is here to help. Our virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) provides personalized treatment for individuals with serious mental health conditions, including PTSD, complex PTSD, and co-occurring disorders like anxiety and depression.

Our trauma-informed clinicians incorporate evidence-based therapies into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. They are well-equipped to help you process your emotions surrounding unresolved trauma in a supportive, safe space. Plus, you’ll get to connect with others in similar situations as you, working towards healing. Fill out the form below or call us to start your mental health recovery journey today.