16 Jun 2017
We often talk about improving memory and the brain as a whole. About various neurotransmitters, which positively influence cognitive abilities. Today we will analyze the real ways of worsening memory.
About memory
The process of memory is very flexible and the brain itself determines very well what information to remember is important, for example, cook a simple dish and what can be forgotten - background information.
And, perhaps, the best ways, to remember something: to become interested, give importance and repeat. We well remember the vital moments, what we regularly repeat and of course, what interests us, our hobbies.
It turns out, it is important to act from the opposite: treat do-not-care feeling, score and do not remember.
On the other hand, the healthy state of the brain, the normal production of neurotransmitters, too, play an important role. Remember at least about senile deterioration of intellect, amnesia and loss of memory in superstress conditions or traumas.
We do not care what you want to forget, we turn to practice.
Section 1. Psychological ways of forgetting
The methods described below are good for both the distant event, which you want to forget, and about the very recent. In the second section there will be pharmacological ways of forgetting, so they will not work under the old events, keep in mind!
Working with the subconscious mind
About the subconscious mind, we'll take a separate issue. This is an important thing! We often do something unconsciously, my dishes, and in my thoughts we plan something. Moreover, the accumulated experience also translates into patterns of behavior. You noticed that you are not familiar with the person yet, but you already do not like him and you will not understand why. And it all started with a kindergarten, when a boy stole your candy. And you, not realizing that, noticed similar features. Or just talk to a person and understand that you can count on him or her, although you know less than a minute. Well, you do not remember the old film and the good character in it.
And a subconscious mind in the variability! Over time, noticed how tastes and preferences change?
The way of working with the subconscious mind involves self-suggestion or programming itself. The displacement of a vector from sharply negative to neutral or even positive!
We need to abstract from the situation and think, but were there any more people with such a negative memory? And maybe even so, that this negative has benefited me? And I coped with the situation, which means that I became even stronger and now I have very little to do.
Distracted
It also happens that a person gets hung up and inflates an elephant from a fly. Then, at the first memory, then immediately switch attention! Plus a person is able to displace memories, any.
Section 2. Pharmacological methods of forgetting
Can work if a little more time has passed. These methods are really dangerous, because they are more damaging to the brain. We do not recommend the reception, the information is given for review.
Alcohol
Alcohol causes failure in memory, acts as an anti-stress, and in a good company it also improves mood.
A large dosage of alcohol kills nerve cells. Violates the formation of synaptic connections, where our memory is stored. So it's important to decide if it's worth it.
Reduce acetylcholine
One of the most popular diseases that can occur in old age - Alzheimer's disease, in particular, leads to violations in the short-term memory. A person usually remembers old events, but there are problems with remembering the events of several days.
This disease is associated with many causes and one of the main ones is the reduction of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. And of course, there are substances that help to reduce it for a while.
Examples of active ingredients: Trihexyphenidyl, Azamethonium bromide.
Even in the instructions to them, in side effects it is written: "short-term memory impairment".
Anti-anxiety drugs
Allow more nihilistic evaluation of everything around. Here there are both quite safe dietary supplements, such as Motherwort, and heavy neuroleptics like Resperidone.
It is also possible to isolate inhibitors of protein synthesis: cycloheximide anisomycin puromycine, camptothecin, actinomycin D and blockers of NMDA receptors. The problem is that these things need to be taken before the stress, and as you understand, it's almost impossible. Inhibitors of protein synthesis are generally injected directly into the brain. Well, by the way, if you really want to spoil the memory on a particular day, that is such a popular blocker of NMDA receptors, besides dissociative - Memantine. Dosages of 20-40 mg are already capable of causing tulips on healthy people.
Bottom Line:
It is necessary to understand that the brain is very plastic and it is quite possible to change its "settings".
The placebo effect or auto-suggestion effect works, so use it! This concerns the psychological methods of forgetting.
In the topic of pharmacology: alcohol, blockers of acetylcholine and NMDA receptors are not bad so spoil the memory. But first of all we work with psychology. A regular "drinking" will not get rid of problems, rather add.
Negative experience is also an experience, and one must understand that having only positive memories is as dangerous as negative. In addition, when recalling an event, we transform the event, it means that it is quite probable that our memory, even for the negative, is distorted, exaggerated.