Topic : 12/31 "Who Am I?"

I think that this has been mentioned in one of the previous responses, but it was posted a couple of days ago. There is a website called websleuths.com.  There is a section called Unidentified, and there is a section devoted to Benjaman Kyle, There are numerous pictures of him in one of the subheadings. (or whatever you want to call it)

I think benjamin and other serious amnesia suffers may be just farther along on an amnesia continuum than I have been. I have previously written about my problem on this message board. Anyone interested in my story can read what I have written by searching on my identification, beeboo22.

I realize that it might not be good for Benjamin to read my previous message board entries or even what I have written in this one. But, if he feels up to it, I would encourage him to read these entries, especially the ones about Post Traumatic Stress. I hope if he does read them he finds some of what I have written here helpful.

This last summer I spent some quatlity time going into my recovered memories. Even though before I started I felt prepared, I did find myself distressed by some of these memories. Although it may have been a bug, it was when I got into these distressful memories that I spent two days in bed sick. Dr. Phil may be correct that it would be better for Benjamin to rebuild his life with his amnesia than to try to recover his memory.

For some time I have wanted to write on this message board about the case of a woman from our area who had amnesia similar to Benjamin's. I saw this case in the media a number of years ago. I did not know this woman personally, I only know what I saw and heard about her in the media. Because of my memory problems I was interesed in her case.

The media reports said that this woman, originally from our area, was found living an entirely different life in another state. She had no memory of her previous life in our state. The amnesia included loss of memory for her family and childhood. But the comment I found most interesting was at the end of one of the presentations about her. The question was asked why this happened. The answer that was given said they thought it might have had something to do with the Green River Serial Killer. I believe there had been some limited professional connection between her and him which might explain his possibly targeting her.

I want to be very clear that this is speculation on my part so the conclusions I make about this case may not be valid. But, when I go into my recovered memory, I think I came very close to doing what this woman did. When I started to suspect that I was being targeted by a stranger who could be "The Killer," my world became unsafe. I felt at the time that few people, even ones close to me, understood my plight. At that time I considered my options on how to deal with it. I think I was considering the well known "fight or flight" response. To protect myself I think I actually considered leaving town. In doing this I could have tried to prevent this stranger from finding me by getting rid of my identity. If I got rid of my identity it would only have been a small step to dump my memory and thus become a total amnesia suffer too.

In other words, if a woman has the good fortune - good because it allows her to take defensive actions - to suspect that one of these killers is after her then leaving town without her identity and memory can actually be a survival tactic. Few people, even people close to her, would understand what had happened.

The more we know about any condition and its causes the better able we are to prevent and treat it. I write this here because I think it is worh considering.