Folder, Filing Cabinets and Vaults

Folders, filing cabinets and vaults. We all have them.

Our mind holds billions of memories. Each memory is stored in either folders, filing cabinets or vaults.

Of course, I mean this figuratively.

Generally, memory is stored as either short or long term. Short term are in "folders" as you might need that any moment. Long term is stored in "filing cabinets" and available for later use.

The "vault"?

This is the place where memories are stored securely because you don't want them to get out.

Your brain is so amazingly smart (or well designed) that it locks away traumatic memories. Not all of such get in there, just the really bad ones.

The car accident.

The labor pain.

The rape.

Ugliness.

Your brain knows what to do with these things even if you don't. The detail goes in the vault.

As a trauma counselor I have had many come to me asking for help. They want to open the vault.

There are counselors who will do this. I think they are wrong.

Your brain knows what it can handle.

Anything you need access to is either in the filing cabinet or will come out in due time.

Rushing it is harmful.

Again, your brain knows what it can handle.

This might be upsetting to some. At times flashbacks or dreams hint there is more, but my suggestion is if it is in the vault, leave it there.

There is a reason you don't have the key.