In the late 20th century, American psychiatry suffered a schism over the idea of recovered memory. At the time, a number of patients, encouraged by their psychiatrists and psychotherapists, falsely accused their parents and teachers of sexually abusing them. According to their therapists, the patients had waited so long before making accusations because they had repressed their memories of sexual abuse; only with prolonged counseling were these memories “recovered.” After a number of scandals, a small group of skeptical psychiatrists challenged these claims, courts decided cases in favor of the accused, and the influence of recovered memory advocates waned. As critics pointed out, memory of traumatic events is not usually repressed–it remains, rather, percolating beneath the surface, haunting its victims. But much damage was done before the idea of “recovered memory” lost its authority, despite the absence of supporting evidence. It was a terrifying and consequential example of the false security of consensus.
