I don't remember and I'm not sure if I want to
By kbourgerie
@kbourgerie (8780)
United States
February 21, 2008 1:28am CST
Strange title you might think. I was just reading a discussion about the age we started school and I don't remember. In fact, I don't remember anything before the age of 7. Nothing at all. Its completely blank. I feel like that may be unusual and I think the concensus would be that something happened that caused me to block out that period in my life. It has been suggested to me that I attend some kind of therapy to find out why I can't remember those years. I am unsure whether thats a good idea or not. Part of me feels like it may effect my emotional well being to upset the balance at this time, but then perhaps if I understood what had happened then maybe I could understand what effect it may have had on the rest of my life. If you were faced with this decision, would you chose to know or would you let sleeping dogs lie?
3 people like this
12 responses
@gantwick (849)
• United States
21 Feb 08
Maybe you aren't who you thought you were. You could be a changeling. LOL!
I remember kindergarten. I was five. But I have memories that start even earlier than that. I remember going across the street with my mom and sister and eating peanut butter cookies baked by a lady named Mabel. She was like a grandmother to me. It wasn't until I was an adult that my dad told me that Mabel was his brother's mother-in-law. So I guess she was almost a grandmother - she was my cousin's grandmother! I think I was three then.
1 person likes this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 08
Believe me from bitter experience I would NOT want to know! Unfortunately due to the antidepressants I was on and the deep, upsetting counseling I had I actually found out what happened to me when I was 6, it was a horrific experience which my subconscious had blocked out to protect me! I can't advise you what to do as it's your own decision at the end of the day but please leave sleeping dogs lie, you could dig up stuff that will traumatize you, upset you and upset your future. It's in the past leave it there. If I could go back I wouldn't want to remember, but it's too late and at the time of my deep depression it was another nail in my coffin x
1 person likes this
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
21 Feb 08
I'm sorry to hear that and based on what you have said I think I'll just leave it alone. Thank you for sharing your experiences, as painful as they may have been.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
21 Feb 08
hmmm.. its the case with you i guess.
it depends from person to person. I have even heard there are persons that can remember things when they are into cribs.
I remember a lot younger days, but not that much.
the earliest memory i have of age 1 yr.
its not an issue if you acn't remember before 7 yrs.
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
21 Feb 08
I understand what you are saying and I don't expect anyone to remember something from the early age of being in a crib, but not remembering until 7 seems a little long.
@jpso138 (7851)
• Philippines
21 Feb 08
I guess you don;t have to worry about not remembering those things. I myself have only small pieces of information or memory that I can recall off during that period. and I am not troubled at all since I think its normal. I can remember still some memories when I was still 6 and up in fact there are those as early as 5 that I can recall. But its not actually that clear.
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
21 Feb 08
I'm glad I posted this, because I'm beginning to learn that its not as abnormal as I thought. Thanks.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
21 Feb 08
Does it particularly trouble you that you cannot remember anything before you were 7? There may be reasons why you are blocking memories out, or it could be that you just don't remember. I am not sure that any of us that have been around very much can recall a huge amount from our early days, unless there is something significant that causes to to look back and say "ah". How will you feel if you do go to therapy and you discover something unpleasant, or perhaps worse, nothing at all? Will you be better off? Do you have older siblings, or perhaps your parents still that you could talk to first. Personally, unless this was an overwhelming and compelling enquiry, I would do nothing and make the most of now.
1 person likes this
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
21 Feb 08
No, its not something that necessarily bothers me. I don't let it, but the topic of conversation has come up and both sides of the coin have been discussed without coming to a decison either way so I just thought I'd ask.
@cydzzj (354)
• Australia
21 Feb 08
Most of the memory about my early years are my parents or some of my relatives told me. I already confused with them. I can't sort of them by which one is I remembered, and which one is other people told me.
So if you think the memory before your 7 is not so important to you. You may can just skip it?
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (37969)
• Philippines
22 Feb 08
My wife also has the same dilemna she has no recollection of her childhood years. She could recall some but not everything that her mother used to tell her. I do believe that it has something to do with her bad experience with her family since she belongs to a broken family and I think her childhood had lots of bad memories that is why she unconsciously opted to erased it from her memory. As for me I never experienced that from my parents that is why I still had vivid memories maybe when 4 or 5 years old though it was not very clear. But I do remember my birthdays back then than my Birthdays 5 years ago haha. With regards to having a regression sometimes it helps but as youhave said it it could upset your emotional balance if your not ready to see your unknown self.
@bluereddog1990 (35)
• United States
21 Feb 08
I would let sleeping dogs lie. I can remember back when I was 4.5 at Christmas time. I remember what I got and what my brother got. Some other times at that age pop in my head but for the most part, I think most people have a hard time recalling their very early childhood times. I think I would just pull out the ol'photo albulm and be content with what was captured on film. For me theraphy would not be an answer. I have heard it can pull out things from the mind that didn't necessarily happen or at least in not the manner in which it is dipicted.Might not turn out the way you expected and then where would you be? Happier?Sad?Mad?
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
21 Feb 08
I tend to agree. I'm not unhappy now, why change the balance of things.
@mummymo (23706)
•
21 Feb 08
If it were affecting my mental or emotional health then I would probably want to find out more but if it were not causing me problems then I would probably leave it and think that it was just my memory! We are all different and have different memories - it could be that you are blocking something because of a trauma or something that happened to upset you or it could be that you just don't remember! Let us know what you decide sweety! xxx
@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
22 Feb 08
To be honest with you, if i blocked out that memory before a certain age, then it was probably something i didn't want to remember and i definitely wouldn't want to bring those memories back. That is just me though. Some people need to know why they can't remember and that's okay to. I just prefer not knowing, although i remember age 3 and up. It's really all up to you about what you feel is the best thing for you to do. I would really think it through though and pray about whether or not you really need to know or if you should just leave it alone. I'll keep you in my thoughts and keep us posted on what you've decided to do. it's definitely not an easy decision to make, but i'm sure you'll do what you think is best for you. God bless
@celia4evr (209)
• United States
21 Feb 08
Personally, It could be your body creating its own defense mechanism against some emotional overload that could have plagued you as a child. I know that I am quite young, but I can remember having memories from the age of 2. Some of them aren't quite wonderful. Depending on your current emotional stability should determine which way you would approach this journey. I would just leave it alone, if it doesn't seem to bother you much.
