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JohnRich

Erasing Traumatic Memories

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News:

'Scientists Are Developing Drugs That Could Eliminate Traumatic Events From Our Memories..."
Full story: ABC

If scientists developed a pill that would erase traumatic memories from your brain, would you take one?



I voted to keep - I never want to totally forget :|- Just push them away when I need to.[:/]
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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Nope. Good memories and bad memories both combine to make us who we are.



I doubt much character improvement is enjoyed by a woman who vividly remembers every detail of her rape, or by the parent who watched their child die violently, etc.

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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Neo, You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.

Noooobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!! M.P.F.C.

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News:

'Scientists Are Developing Drugs That Could Eliminate Traumatic Events From Our Memories..."
Full story: ABC

If scientists developed a pill that would erase traumatic memories from your brain, would you take one?



Wow, that is a fascinating question! Hmmm....honestly, it would take me a long time to decide on that personally. -Then again, some traumatic things that have happened to me, my brain decided to hide the details from my conscious mind already; no drugs needed. I've heard that this happens to some people that have gone through some stuff. The one that comes to mind (that's kinda punny :ph34r:) is a car accident I was in when I was 12. People tell me details of my screaming once I started breathing and being wheeled through the ER in Harborview Trauma Center yelling my head off, but I don't remember a thing after the first roll...:|

I have a few not-so-great memories that are kind of hidden until a triggered thought or picture or smell or whatever brings it back. -Don't many people have this, though? Traumatic thoughts that are kind of 'buried'? I don't think I'm any different.

If I could COMPLETELY erase some; yes I think I'd do it, because unfortunately I allow those memories to affect me in a negative way.


Very thought-provoking post. :)
~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

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News:

'Scientists Are Developing Drugs That Could Eliminate Traumatic Events From Our Memories..."
Full story: ABC

If scientists developed a pill that would erase traumatic memories from your brain, would you take one?



My bad memories are part of what makes me who I am.
__

My mighty steed

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Our memories are part of us and help make us the person that we are.



There are now several such posts in this thread. The fact that something is a part of who you are doesn't make it good. I've got a friend who walks like a crippled old bear. That gait is part of who he is, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't take away the injuries that caused it if I could.

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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Good point but not exactly the same thing (close tho).


I imagine that most people would rather not have had the experiences, but they did and earasing them does not alter the reality of the actual traumatic event.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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Nope. Good memories and bad memories both combine to make us who we are.



I doubt much character improvement is enjoyed by a woman who vividly remembers every detail of her rape, or by the parent who watched their child die violently, etc.


Blues,
Dave



Ditto....[:/]

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I doubt much character improvement is enjoyed by a woman who vividly remembers every detail of her rape, or by the parent who watched their child die violently, etc.



True, but if you, for example, erase the memory of a child's death, then doesn't that sort of make you like a zombie, going through life not really knowing why you don't have a child any more? Wouldn't that in itself, also be traumatic?

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you need to keep all memories, both the good and the bad. I'm having some pretty bad memories today but I don't regret them. The ones that we wish to vanquish, learn from them. The good ones, well they help you live.
If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here!

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If I could COMPLETELY erase some; yes I think I'd do it, because unfortunately I allow those memories to affect me in a negative way.



One question is, is this an all-or-nothing deal? Or could they selectively target only certain memories?

I could see usefulness for targeting selective memories.

But if you go inside your head and do a wholesale erasure, then that smacks of the old days in the mental hospitals, where they would shove an ice pick into your forehead to free you of demons, but turn you into a passive zombie...

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If I could COMPLETELY erase some; yes I think I'd do it, because unfortunately I allow those memories to affect me in a negative way.



One question is, is this an all-or-nothing deal? Or could they selectively target only certain memories?

I could see usefulness for targeting selective memories.

But if you go inside your head and do a wholesale erasure, then that smacks of the old days in the mental hospitals, where they would shove an ice pick into your forehead to free you of demons, but turn you into a passive zombie...



I agree. If it was an 'all or nothing' deal...well I am pretty certain that I'd opt not to go through with it.

-and really, if this is in fact something that is plausible, then I would think that it would HAVE to be all or nothing; they would target memories that elicit a certain response...and that would mean 'all', unless you get a hypnotist in there and try to go that route...
~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

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As one with many, many, very, very, traumatic memories, I say no.

Erasing the memory would ultimately result in the inability to cope with situations.
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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