Selective Memory

[Deridaburi]

It seems that our brains allow us to forget a lot more than we realize. This seems to be a survival mechanism keeps the mind from being overwhelmed by situations that we cannot handle.
There have been many times that I remember something while thinking about a related topic and realize that I had completely forgotten about it. I'm starting to realize that I remember a lot less than I would like to think I do, and that my state of mind is a lot more maluable than I would like it to be.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

 

[Zionoxis]

My memory selects itself from what I have seen. Sadly, when others introduce themselves, names have never been anywhere near the the top of the priority list. I can understand this concept, to an extent, but are you talking about our daily life, or the mind's ability to forget information when placed under great emotional stress?

 

[Deridaburi]

Yes, forgetting someone's name can be terrible. I'm talking more about the latter. Traumatic, or stressful events that are blocked from memory.

 

[Dapper Dan]

I've always found it interesting that when we are reminded of something, we can usually say with accuracy whether or not we used to know that thing. Or that our minds can somehow remember something that they had previously forgotten about, all on their own.

 

[Zionoxis]

I mean, as far as forgetting based on stress, it makes plenty of sense. Fight or flight. If the mind is not strong enough to fight the stress emotionally, it is left to run, or in this case, simply ignore and forget the threat. If it cannot remember it, it does not have to consciously process the situation where it will be overpowered. Instead the situation will be slowly picked away at in the subconscious and the conscious will be slowly strengthened to eventually be able to face that threat, if at all (in the majority of cases, the decisions to face it must be made consciously).

 

[Deridaburi]

Dapper Dan:
Yes as though you withhold memory from yourself even though you still physically have it.

PS: Your hair looks bona fide.



Zionoxis:
Interesting, do you think this might be more hindrance than a help in non-life threatening situations? If something is blocked even though you could have done better by facing the issue and moving past it? Do you think we consciously decide to forget things or is it more subconscious?

I'm not sure how reliable this is, I heard that you make subconsciously decisions before you are aware that you have made the decision. This seems to be a related topic.

 

[rattymat]

I don't think you are giving your memory enough credit. For you do say that certain situations in the present can bring about memories you haven't thought of in a long time. This means you have not forgotten about it, it simply hasn't been recollected in the present conscious mind in a long time. This makes sense, for the conscious mind can only handle so many processes that if it were aware of all it's past memories it would be way too overwhelmed with information. If you feel you do not make enough use of your memory, this is a different story then simply forgetting.

 

[Jah]

http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/02/how-memories-are-distorted-and-invented.php

Pretty good article, very related.


Tl;dr: Memory isn't perfect, deal with it.

 

[Deridaburi]

Thanks Jah, that was a very interesting read.

 

[Zionoxis]

Dapper Dan:
Yes as though you withhold memory from yourself even though you still physically have it.

PS: Your hair looks bona fide.



Zionoxis:
Interesting, do you think this might be more hindrance than a help in non-life threatening situations? If something is blocked even though you could have done better by facing the issue and moving past it? Do you think we consciously decide to forget things or is it more subconscious?

I'm not sure how reliable this is, I heard that you make subconsciously decisions before you are aware that you have made the decision. This seems to be a related topic.

I think it is a little bit of both. If we allow ourselves to make something extremely stressfull, it will be. Because of this, the body may choose to ignore it depending on how much feeling we forced to come out (or just gave ourselves permission for). In honesty, I am no expert in the field. I will speculate, however, that it should not be a problem since the brain's action to forget something stressful would require an immense amount of stress that you would be unable to handle yourself.

I am sure through professional counseling, the information can be brought back up and remembered in a controlled environment. It is possible that you may not be as ready to handle the information as you think yourself to be.