The resurgence of the concept of repressed memories, as popularized by Bessel van der Kolk's book “The Body Keeps the Score,” has sparked a renewed debate in the scientific community. This idea, rooted in psychoanalytic theory, suggests that traumatic experiences can be repressed by the mind, only to resurface later through physical symptoms. While the book has enjoyed immense popularity and has spent years on bestseller lists, its central claim about repressed memories has a controversial history.
The “memory wars” of the 1990s saw clinicians and researchers clash over the idea of repressed memories. The theory posits that traumatic events can be completely inaccessible to conscious memory but can be recovered through therapy. However, over a decade of research has cast serious doubts on repression as a reliable mechanism, leading many to believe the debate had been settled.
Despite this, the idea of repressed memories is making a comeback, with the claim now extending to the body storing these traumatic memories. The book suggests healing involves “releasing” or “integrating” these hidden memories through alternative therapies, some of which lack scientific evidence. This has shifted public perceptions of trauma and its impact on the body.
While it is widely accepted that stress associated with trauma can affect the body, the specific link to memory is where concerns arise. Memory is not a simple recording device; it is reconstructed each time an event is recalled, influenced by context, emotions, and external factors. Suggestive therapy techniques, such as hypnosis and guided imagery, are particularly prone to implanting false memories.
Major psychological organizations have warned about the potential for these therapeutic techniques to create false memories. The promotion of alternative therapies, like yoga and psychodrama, as treatments for trauma raises further issues when they are claimed to access repressed memories. This opens the door for exploitation, as seen in social media ads suggesting that nightmares or sleep troubles are due to forgotten trauma.
The recent focus on psychedelic-assisted therapy, with substances like MDMA and psilocybin, has also raised specific concerns from a memory perspective. Research suggests that psychedelics can affect memory in ways that increase suggestibility and the conviction of false memories. Early reports from psychedelic therapy sessions describe the emergence of apparent trauma memories with uncertainty about their accuracy.
Recent US research found widespread belief in repressed memories and the “body keeps the score” concept, with preliminary Australian findings suggesting even stronger belief in these ideas. This resurgence of the repressed memory theory raises important questions about the potential for exploitation and the need for caution in therapeutic practices.
