Fact 15. The Role of Childhood Trauma in Dissociative Amnesia
Childhood trauma is a significant risk factor for dissociative amnesia. Experiences of severe childhood abuse, neglect, or other traumatic events can have profound psychological impacts, sometimes resulting in disorders like dissociative amnesia later in life.
Children, due to their underdeveloped emotional and psychological coping mechanisms, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of trauma. When exposed to intense traumatic situations, their developing brains might resort to extreme measures like dissociation, where they disconnect from the reality of their experience, and in some cases, their memories, to protect themselves from emotional distress.
Such traumatic experiences and the associated dissociation can set the stage for the onset of dissociative amnesia in later life. These forgotten traumatic memories might resurface during periods of stress or triggered by specific reminders, causing significant distress and functional impairment.(15)
