Understanding the Subconscious

Have you ever walked past a spot in town and suddenly felt uncomfortable? Or heard a particular tone of voice that made you unexplainably uneasy, even though the person meant no harm? So many people describe this experience as “something just came over me.”or "I just felt something strange".

In psychology, that “something” often comes from the subconscious and this is the part of the mind that stores our memories, emotional patterns, and all learned behaviours outside our awareness.

Although the term subconscious is largely a psychological concept, modern neuroscience clearly defines it as mental processes, memories, and emotional responses that influence us outside conscious awareness. And understanding how it works is a very powerful step towards emotional maturity and healing.

What Exactly Is the Subconscious? One way the subconscious can be understood is by the use of what is termed as memory systems grouped as Explicit and Implicit memory. A particular memory is deemed explicit if it can be consciously recalled whilst an Implicit memory is one that turns to affect emotions and behaviors without conscious awareness [1][2]. For example, one might not categorically remember a particular childhood event, yet their body always seems to react to similar situations.

Neuroscientists suggest that these memories are stored as “engrams” which are physical changes in the brain formed through experience [3]. Some of which are easy to recall whilst others stay hidden but still find a way to influence us.

How Do Our Past Experiences Affect Us? Early life experiences such as growing up in a strict home, experiencing repeated criticism, losing a parent, witnessing conflict or war, surviving trauma and very importantly repeated behavior or habits can all form deep subconscious patterns. Even if you cannot recall the exact events, the emotional imprints remain. Research shows that emotionally intense or traumatic events sometimes get stored as “sensory fragments” rather than clear stories [4]. This is why a particular smell from childhood or a particular gospel song can suddenly bring back very strong feelings.

The Dual Representation Theory developed by Chris Brewin, Tim Dalgleish and Stephen Joseph in their 1996 paper explains this very well by dividing our memory into Verbally Accessible Memory (VAM) and Situationally Accessible Memory (SAM)[5]. VAM is basically memory that can be consciously narrated while SAM refers to sensory-emotional traces that resurface as emotions and not vivid stories or facts [6].They are the memories we can’t immediately explain and often feel sudden and disproportionate. It’s is very interesting to even note that they might end up affecting or shaping our self esteem, and personality in the long run.

Can We Influence or Rewire the Subconscious? Research has suggested that even though the subconscious cannot be directly controlled, it can only be influenced. These are some of the ways of doing that. Firstly, through Cognitive reframing,also referred to as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which involves helping people change their thought patterns by identifying unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with healthier, reality-based interpretations.This can only be done by a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist.Next these professionals can also help with Imagery rescripting and this is when a person is made to revisit troubling memories and change the emotional meaning attached to them. Exposure therapy is also an option. This involves gradually retraining the brain by safely and repeatedly confronting feared situations until the old fear association weakens.Furthermore, mindfulness and meditation can help by improving our awareness of automatic reactions.

To conclude, here are a few practical steps anyone can use in their everyday life. You can begin influencing your subconscious by becoming more aware of your emotional patterns .Journaling ones triggers and recurring reactions helps reveal what’s actually happening underneath. Simple grounding techniques, such as slow breathing or identifying things you can see and hear, calm the mind when emotions feel overwhelming, whilst pairing healthy habits with daily cues like prayer time or morning routines strengthens new behavioural pathways. Having good sleep and managing stress is equally important because both directly affect how the subconscious processes experience, and if intrusive memories or strong emotional reactions are persistent, seeking professional support can really help. Ultimately, let’s remember that our subconscious is but a storehouse of everything we’ve lived through and understanding how it works empowers us to break unhealthy cycles, to build emotional resilience, and to shape a healthier future.

References
[1] Kihlstrom, J. F. Implicit and Unconscious Memory. University of California, Berkeley. https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~jfkihlstrom/IntroductionWeb/unconscious.html

[2] How Memory Functions. FSCJ Psychology Textbook. https://fscj.pressbooks.pub/psychology/chapter/how-memory-functions

[3] Engram (Neuropsychology). Wikipedia summary with primary references. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engram_(neuropsychology)

[4] Trauma and Memory Processing. Integral Eye Movement Therapy. https://integraleyemovementtherapy.com/trauma-and-memory-processing

[5] Brewin, C. R., Dalgleish, T., & Joseph, S. (1996). A dual representation theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Review, 103(4), 670–686. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.103.4.670

[6] Implicit and Explicit Memory in Trauma and Healing. Ousia Counselling. https://www.ousiacounselling.co.uk/blog/implicit-and-explicit-memory-in-trauma-and-healing