This possibility is being explored especially in regard to PTSD. It particularly applies to combat vets who I provide free clinical consultation to. We lose 20 vets a day to suicide due to the repeated and severe traumas they experience.
Rich
Well, actually it is almost possible to erase the bad memories, as in the link below. However, I would only erase the bad feelings attached to the incidence, not the experience itself.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/aug/17/memories-of-fear-could-be-permanently-erased-study-shows
Very interesting observation. We would have to turn off the amygdala and then the hypothalamus in order to d/c from the actual memories. And thanks for the source.
Rich.
20 suicides are a shocking report for a single center. Actually the post war postraumatic disorder has been a main source of the freudian questions about the tendency to stay attached to a painful experience ( " Beyond the pleasure principe" 1916 ). In the original formulation the problem was not to erase the pauinful memories, but to integrate it in a stronger ego, ie to give an acceptable actual meaning to a an acceptable past experience.
Thank you for your perspective. In my work w/ vets back to Korea, it is so very painful to realize they killed other human beings. It is even more painful to have killed "innocent" citizens. In Vietnam we did kill children, women and the elderly. In fact, more citizens were killed than enemy combatants on both sides. This pain is unbearable for them. I was fortunate to be an AF ER medic. I did not have to kill anyone nor had anyone trying to kill me.
Attached is one of my 3 published articles in regards to the above.
Rich
If God forgives; every bad thing we did will be erased during the day of judgment.
I have done so many stupid things, some embarrassing, a few bad, but I think that the resultant knowledge was needed. So, while I hope God will forgive me, I think that HE will, I also think that HE thought I needed to take the path I chose.
Oh course, I could be wrong!
The most difficult memories do not necessary stem from one's own sins
Richard Kensinger S. Béatrice Marianne Ewalds-Kvist
Who would like to keep "Difficult Memories" if can erase :) even if those were not stemmed out of one's own faults. Please share any practical knowledge (practices/exercises etc) about erasing/editing any past memories in Human Brain.
Interesting topic anyways :)
I appreciate the responses from my colleagues here. I am attaching a published article in this regard.
Rich
No. If I need to answer phylosophically, I'm afraid I won't be myself if that happened. All those significant memories are my building blocks. If any were erased, maybe I will be a ghost staring from the other side of the mirror, while another me lives on happily
Akfar,
Wonderful response about the integration of the good w/ the bad. I'm attaching my published article in this regard.
Rich
Excellent article Rich,
Positive is only positive in context of negative and vice versus.
brigid
This is a very tricky question that many people are tempted to answer yes. But even bad memories are part of our identity, of who we are. I wouldn't delete them and wouldn't want to delete them even in the case of PTSD. The therapeutic approach is their full integration into memory systems, reduction of their dissociation and the weakening of their negativity.
Michal, did you read the article by Dr Kensinger above your post. It is interesting, especially the response his students give about preferring to give up good memories and keep bad ones.
brigid
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