Its just the way human brains work. (2019). Trauma and stress can interfere with your ability to form and recall memories. Memories of things that happened regularly are often stronger than memories of one-time events, so you might have an easier time remembering weekly trips to the candy store with your siblings than your second birthday. Rovee-Collier C, et al. Your memory only really starts improving at age 8 to 10. Keep reading to learn more about this phenomenon and what you can do to cope. Bauer PJ. My memory of early childhood is a little bit clearer, but not too much. However, by the time they turn 9, most of those memories are already gone. Do you remember the toys youre holding or the clothes youre wearing in photos? The return of the repressed: The persistent and problematic claims of long-forgotten trauma. Its important that we not take a catastrophic view that we cant remember our life and recognize that were having difficulties with on-demand recall of our personal memories. The good news is that when you hit puberty, your brain does a spring cleaning and prunes a lot of unneeded synapses, improving your memory. Having few childhood memories is common. Its only when something out of the ordinary happens that we really start to take notice. Dispelling confusion about traumatic dissociative amnesia. These docs then suggested to their patients that something awful had happened in their early years and they didnt remember it. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. This idea really began to gather steam in the 1990s when a number of therapists suggested a link between unexplained mental health symptoms and forgotten childhood abuse. It follows, then, that you naturally wouldnt have many memories remaining from early childhood. It can happen in people who experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect, verbal abuse, or emotional neglect. Finally, stress and anxiety can also lead to memory problems. Ah, New Year's resolutions. It can be annoying not to have a better recollection of your childhood, especially if you remember it as happy. Then, in the 1980s, Bauer and other . It doesnt mean youve got a problem with your memory or that you repressed memories of childhood trauma (although both of these factors can interfere with childhood memories). Sundays don't have to be scary. When yourre under stress, your brain may not store memories as well as it would if you were relaxed or felt safe. One reason is that ADHD can make it difficult to pay attention to and remember information. So if youre wondering why you cant remember your childhood as vividly as youd like, dont worry its perfectly normal! This process, known as synaptic pruning, helps your brain work more efficiently. You do now! Instead, pay special attention to the everyday items. Some therapists worked to help clients regain so-called repressed memories through the unethical process of suggestion. Dont focus so much on one-off occasions. Plenty of cognitive growth takes place in early childhood. The thought of not remembering much or wondering whether you experienced childhood trauma can be pretty upsetting. Infantile amnesia happens to most people however, even though we probably never thought of it. 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. Many people who worry about a lack of childhood memories fear that, to protect them, their brains have repressed something bad that happened. 11 More answers below Quora User By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. I don't have any happy memories. Childhood amnesia is a real occurring aspect. One of the simplest ways to regain some memories of your childhood is simply to talk with people! Often victims of trauma or abuse will repress it until they are out of the abusive or traumatic situation and suddenly it will flood out. I've also heard great things about their roasted marshmallows. You dont have to go full-on Mr. Memory and recite every capital city in the world every morning (though all power to you if you can!). I experienced a lot of trauma though, and started drinking heavily at 13, so I know why my memory is fucked. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. If you are having difficulty remembering years of your life, it is important to speak with a doctor or mental health professional to rule out any underlying medical causes. Voss P, et al. However, we can have difficulty recalling nonpersonal and nonemotional memories and when that happens, we may be experiencing neurological issues. Experts have different opinions on whether forgotten memories can be recalled, but some researchers believe those memories havent completely disappeared from your brain. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
\n<\/p>

\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5f\/Why-Can%27t-I-Remember-My-Childhood-and-Teenage-Years-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Why-Can%27t-I-Remember-My-Childhood-and-Teenage-Years-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5f\/Why-Can%27t-I-Remember-My-Childhood-and-Teenage-Years-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Why-Can%27t-I-Remember-My-Childhood-and-Teenage-Years-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"