\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Who doesnt want to bask in those sunny, carefree days again, when you could smoosh your face into a cake and people thought it was cute rather than a problem? Childhood amnesia is totally normal. See a certified medical professional for diagnosis. Its possible to lose your ability and/or understanding of how to operate your cell phone, automobile, etc. Ive been thinking a lot about this lately and am growing concerned that I might have a problem that might need professional attention. Take a few of the depression and anxiety. If you struggle to remember middle school, for example, search for photos from that time that depict important people, places, and eventslike your teachers or the house you lived in. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Some thoughts and impressions: Try Online Counseling: Get Personally Matched(Please read our important explanation below.). As time passes, your brain has to free up space for new experiences. I remember bits of primary school but they were the times when I got in trouble and when it was the last day because I hated school and couldnt wait to leave. If you do not feel comfortable speaking with someone you know, you can also call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org to talk with someone anonymously who can help you process what you are going through. What Causes You to Not Remember Your Childhood? You may have the same blank spots in your memory if you experienced a major trauma while you were growing up. This research focused on rats, which also seem to experience a form of infantile amnesia. So new information becomes tougher to get in your long-term memory when you're older. That's because of childhood amnesia. To make things easier, weve created a guide with the most common reasons for why some of us have difficulty remembering growing up. I loved visiting my grandma's apartment, with its fringed window shades and faint smell of eucalyptus. Alberini C, et al. So if loud noises such as doors slamming or a car back firing easily upsets you or makes you uncomfortable, it may be the fear resulting from a repressed memory. Here's a roundup of the 10 best for anxiety. Some memories are often patched together from stories of the past, described often enough that you eventually formed a picture in your mind. You instinctively remember some of those lessons such as learning that candle flames are painful for your fingers or that its not appropriate to just poop on the stairs as you please. 784 Words. This process, known as synaptic pruning, helps your brain work more efficiently. You likely remember plenty of things that happened in the past 5 to 10 years. If not dealt with, it can impact your life in many different ways. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 12,392 times. But its also pretty common to find that you dont remember much about being a kid. Heres Why, Self-Care Sunday: The Ultimate Way to #Treatyoself, How to Put Yourself First Without Feeling Guilty, 11 Tips to Help You Stick to Your New Year's Goals. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Its important to note that traumatizing events dont have to be physical to leave a scar on your psyche. People who have experienced trauma and abuse can find themselves stuck in vicious cycles for years. It is real. Did you live through something deeply distressing, after all? Songs from childhood and teen years often produce a flood of memories. If you have problems with isolated yet nonpersonal memory problems, such as losing your ability to understand how the remote control works then see a neurologist. Your memory is being used every minute, allowing you to operate in your daily routine. If your friend was a huge fan of a specific band, for instance, you can listen to some of that bands music to see what memories come up. Certain medicines and treatments can also impact memory. Stress, trauma, health issues, and even ordinary childhood amnesia all play a role, and it can be hard to tell which of these, if any, apply to you. If you're struggling with any sort of repressed memory, it can leave you feeling confused, guarded, or cause you to act out whenever the memories surface. Ear Buds In, Bad Vibes Out: The 10 Best Self-Care Podcasts, substance use disorder (your own or that of a loved one). If you have a journal from when you were growing up, read it. But they prove that your brain is healthy and functioning. Your sister is also pretty likely to have a clear memory of it, for understandable reasons. It doesn't happen for everyone, but according to experts, certain thoughts you have may indicate that this is happening to you. t. e. Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Ive been asked for years if I have been and always say no. According to Sara Makin, licensed therapist and founder of Makin Wellness, self-victimization is a sign of repressed childhood memories. Also known as infantile amnesia, childhood amnesia is the incapability of humans to retrieve memories of their early life stages. Why can't I remember my teenage years? But if you have absolutely zero memory of anything bad happening and nothing else from your life seems suspicious, then youre probably not repressing memories its prob just regular childhood amnesia. Rather, your brain can restructure itself when it sees the need to adapt to various changes you experience throughout life. When you think back farther, some memories might stand out, but you might find it challenging to recall earlier events.