How do you forget a painful past?

I've just recently discovered that you can't. The longer you hide from it, the worse it gets. It can manifest physically, cause pain and nausea, cause nerve and brain damage, insomnia, nightmares...

I'm trying therapy for the millionth time, but I'm committed. I'm going to try EMDR soon.

I believe in the healing process.

Different approaches work for different people, an idea I would throw in the mix is to be determined to be having some sort of good time in the present, to know how and what to be doing, for me is literature, with a blend of my other interests for ambiance, I lavish my days with this stuff, this is what's working for me atm at least.

You don't. You just try to heal and move on and live life as best you can. I say this as someone who's in a relationship with a man who has a very painful past and still deals with the trauma from it today.

I'm still trying to figure that out. Therapy, meds and support from family and friends

I don't think you can. I think the best you can do is let your inner strength channel that pain into resolve for a better future.

You don't forget, the best you can do is try to learn to not let it destroy your future.

Depends on the nature of the pain, but I would suggest overwhelming it with positive experiences

You cant you just have to put it iut of your mind the best you can. Fill your life with new experiences

You can really only compartmentalize it, I find…put it in the back pocket of your memory, to be replaced by more recent happier memories if possible. Time should allow you to focus on those latter memories. 🤗

You start to rebuild something so you can look forward to the future.

To remove one thing from mind, you need to have something in it's place. Focus on present.

You don't forget it, you just look at it and shrug, think "meh" and it doesn't bother you as much as it used to.

Continue writing a better future

You absolutely CAN'T. accept it

Just allow time to pass — and revenge can be satisfying

Make yourself a bright future, the rest of your life is in your hands.

Get rid or hide anything that reminds you of it