If something is still haunting you as well, try out these processes to make it easy and forgettable.
Forgetting something is not that easy, throughout our lives, we mostly accumulate memories that we would rather forget. People who have experienced traumas like childhood abuse, domestic violence, rape, and physical torture by loved ones can be more than unwelcome as they can be debilitating.
Talk to a therapist: Every time someone tries to recall a memory, your brain rewires that. Always take advantage of the huge process of memory reconsolidation. Moreover, after a huge trauma, wait for a few weeks for emotions to suppress or die down and then start the process of recalling those memories in a safe space. Most of the therapist's advice is to talk openly about those memories in detail once or twice a week and some suggest writing a journal and then reading it during the session.
Identify your trigger point: Memories are always going to be cue-dependent, along with that one thing you must remember is that bad memory does not constantly remain in your head, something in the present reminds you of a bad experience, and then it triggers your recall process of yours. For instance, someone with serious trauma might get triggered by the smell of smoke, loud noises, particular songs, and closed doors. Identification of common triggers may help you to take control and when someone consciously tries to remember those triggers, you can suppress the negative association.
Memory suppression: It is also known as the think and no-think paradigm and thus you can use the brain's higher functions like rationality and reasoning in order to interrupt the procedure of memory recall consciously. This basically means you will start practicing intentionally to shut down those painful memories as soon as it starts to appear or haunt you. After a few weeks, your brain will not let that come up again because till then it weakens all the neural connections.
Propanol: It is a blood pressure medication from the class of beta blockers and is often used for the treatment of traumatic memories. It is also used to treat anxiety related to performance as well as helps to stop physical fear like sweating, shaky hands, dry mouth, and racing heart.
Exposure therapy: It is a type of behavioral therapy used in the treatment procedure of PTSD that can be particularly helpful for nightmares and flashbacks. This is also called prolonged exposure which involves frequent thinking or retelling regarding the story of your prolonged trauma.
Is it possible to forget something that has been residing within your brain for too long? Yes, it is quite possible through following these methods.
