Depressed and need memory help.

by Jillian
(MA)

I've been dealing with depression for years. I had a miserable middle school and high school experience. I am now 19 and a sophomore in college. Last year I was raped. I was a virgin. Two weeks later my ex boyfriend manipulated me into thinking he loved me so that he could have sex with me. After I finally gave in, he never spoke to me again.

For the first six months I was practically a zombie. I have no memory of that time at all. I am majoring in chemistry and am so passionate about it. However, my grades are suffering because I'm having memory problems. I used to have the most incredible memory, and it is so frustrating to me that I am having so many problems with it now. Also, I am so exhausted all of the time and I have headaches daily. I can barely even get myself through school because I am so tired.

Is there any way that I can get over the depression and improve my memory and energy? I really want to do well in college and make a good life for myself. Please help me.

Ben's Answer:

Your memory problems are most likely a symptom of your trauma. When you resolve the trauma, your energy, concentration and memory will return to normal. It's a terribly traumatic thing that happened to you and it needs to be taken care of so you can start to enjoy life as you should. The best technique I can recommend for your trauma is EFT/Meridian Tapping. You can learn to use it on your own, but if the subject of the rape is still very emotional for you, you might be best working with a therapist who uses Meridian Tapping. Traditional "talk therapy" would probably provide some comfort and relief for you too - but would not resolve the trauma as effectively or rapidly as one of the Energy Psychology techniques such as Meridian Tapping (EFT).

You can learn more about it on this website. You don't have to go on suffering with this.

You should know however, that often when you start to work on a recent trauma, you come to realize that you have some "older" issues to work on as well. And it is those old issues that left you vulnerable to the recent trauma. In any case, Meridian Tapping can deal with all of it quite well, including the depression that you've had for years.

I've just completed a book on using Meridian Tapping for Depression. You can learn more about it here: Meridian Tapping and Mindfulness for Depression (eBook and audio book)

Best Wishes,
Ben Schwarcz, MFT
Santa Rosa Psychotherapist