There are ways to remember things. Is there any method with which we can purposefully forget things forever?

Question

I have been encountering methods to remember things. But was wondering, is there any way to forget things purposefully? We say we forgot something, but then at times, we remember it later. Or we feel we know it when we get a hint! Does that mean we really forget, earesed from brain, or its a problem with recalling things? Psychologists, please enlighten!

Answer 1

Yes there are. Some people have had horrendous experiences that have been so bad, that there brain has shut down the event and they don't remember anything about it (the brain goes into denial).

As we get older, the memory cells die, making it diffiuclt to recall memories, until we are given hints.

I fogot what the question was now!!! :-)

Answer 2

There is a huge difference between knowing something, remembering something, and being able to recall something.

Today in college a lot of the material "learned" is recalling information.
Proof change the multiple choice, true /false, or fill in the blank questions with a real question looking for a real answer and most students will FAIL.
Why ???
Because they only recall but not know it !!!
They may remember something for a short time, but given the final exam you will see that they again did not KNOW it.

Knowing something and thinking you know something.

Your wife is at home,
You THINK you know that.
You call your home phone and your wife answers.
Now you KNOW that she is at home.

Even an every day routine thing like that shows the difference between know and think you know.

Answer 3

The brain processes upto 7 million things per second!

But that is subconsciously, consciously we can be aware of between 5-9 things at the same time. for example the temperature in the palms of both of your hands, both of your feet, the rate that you are breathing and so on, until you get to a number that you cannot consciously remember at the same time.

You forget so many things in the course of your life consciously but are logged into your subconscious.

With hypnotic regression, details that have been "forgotten" are noted in exacting detail and able to be reaccessed. Hypnosis can also be used to illicit a state of anmesia, but the details are still there.

In answer to your question, through my own experience as well as what I have learned, I personally don;t think that anyhting is forgotten or made to be forgotten.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

Write it down and place the thing in a box and put in in a loft/attic.
Make a rule that you can only consider that thing by going and getting it out of the box. It must be a lot of hassle so you don't want to do it.
Then just wait , you will always know where it is but you need not remember all the details or have any need to recall them. It's not 100% but the memory will fade much faster

Answer 5

Think we have a way of remembering short term things (like must go and get some milk from the shop) and then immediately (well after the event), erase them. Stuff that get put into the long-term memory would require some sorta effort (or failing that total lack of effort) to remove.

Miss B - hadn't thought of that - blocking/repressing memory - good point! - well two good points actually :-)
Love the coda as well :-)

Answer 6

Just a problem with recall I think, I wish there were ways you could erase things, Memory of the past can make it so difficult to do things in the future.

Answer 7

just accepts the facts then you will be happy. forgetting something will happen but not for all time , one day still you can recall , but while accepting no matter the past is good or bad aslong you have accepted the fact then still you will enjoy life. coz all people have problem in lifes its you to solve it and faced it.
good luck

Answer 8

the more you make your brain remind the thing you want to forget, the more unforgettable you get the thing. I think the best way is not paying any attention the thing you want to forget.

Answer 9

I hear you can bang your head really hard, like in accidents, and have memory loss. Have someone hit you in the head with a bat.

Answer 10

stop caring about the memory & you will forget it... it just never happened, your mistaken. if you keep bringing the memory up it will always be there. you need to convince yourself that the memory never happened and put it out of your mind

thanks,

ss