Question One:

I have complex PTSD from both an abusive childhood and marriage. I also suffer with severe memory issues. It impacts my ability to maintain relationships on many levels. What can I do to improve my memory?

One possible reason your brain pauses extremely painful memories is that it’s trying to protect itself.

If an experience has been significantly disturbing and painful, even the thought of it may still be overwhelming.

As a result, your brain could take over and decide you don’t have to relive that experience in your mind. It may lock that memory away from your consciousness. Amnesia is taking you away and protecting you from reliving that experience.

Unfortunately, sometimes the memory loss associated with the traumatic event, also takes away some of your "regular" memories or information you'd like to keep easily accessible.

To help improve some of the memory loss, you will have to get to the root of your trauma and begin processing it. While going through that process, you may start to have some memories return, or it may help you maintain memories currently. It won't be known for certain until that trauma is resolved.

Some helpful forms of therapy to address the complex PTSD includes EMDR and ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy).