Sometimes it is normal to forget things. Storing things in the brain is a process consisting of different steps. Memory is not a single unit like a book on the shelf. It is the process that consists of different steps including information, filtering perceptions of an individual and taking part in the different events.

Memory Problems

Photo by : JLA Kliché ” source by : flickr “

The components of memory are stored and processed in the multiple parts of Brain.

The storage and recovery of memory is also a complex process. Healthy people may also suffer from this memory loss at different times.

Dr. Daniel Schacter, a professor of Psychology at the Harvard University, has recognized 7 problems of memory. Some of the memory problems are progressed with the age, they are also considered as the signs of Alzheimer’s disease or the memory diseases.

1. Transience

   Memory has a quality to use it either or lose it. People have the chances to retain their memory as frequent they use it. The memories that are not used frequently they fade away.

   Transience is the word that scientists use to describe the inclination to forget some information or procedures with the passage of time.

   Transience seems to be a sign of weakness of memory, Brain scientists say that it is really beneficial but it clears the unused parts of memories, making space for new stories and making it useful.

   People suffering from this condition, forget things soon after learning them and especially the things they don’t need again like phone number that are used for only once or twice.

2. Absentmindedness

   This type of forgetfulness occurs, when people don’t pay attention to the particular thing. People suffering from this condition mostly forget their things like Pen etc, when they put it somewhere and then they start thinking about something else, the information in the Brain is not encoded safely. It includes activities like forgetting to take medicines or keeping an appointment etc.

   People can get rid of this problem by keeping reminders to remind them of the different important events like taking medicine before sleeping, any other bed time activity etc. people can also remind the things in a way that brushing teeth may remind them to take medicine. Some other activity can also be used as a reminder.

   If an individual has to take Vitamins in the breakfast, they should keep the bottle of multivitamins tablets at the side of their table, so that they could take it soon after breakfast.

3. Suggestibility

   This is the ability of memory to have the power of suggestion. The information that people may collect after a fact. Most of the people don’t know about the functioning of suggestibility in the Brain, this condition can sometimes confuse a person to think about the real memory. Suggestibility can keep some events in the mind of adults regarding their childhood that may not ever happen.

   Critics of Memory Recovery say that this concept gained popularity in the scandal of child abuse in 1980s to 1990s. People believe that therapists can also contribute to the suggestibility.

   Research shows that suggestion is best, if it comes from the healer or the mediator.

   Therapist also tries to neutralize a person by raising questions. Hypnosis and Imagery are used for the treatment of this condition, by raising a line between imagination and reality, giving height to the confidence in memories and the accuracy is ultimately lowered.

   This problem is highlighted, when the people are asked again and again to imagine some condition.

4. Persistence

   Many of the people are worried about forgetting things. Some people want to forget few things but they can’t. The persistence of some tragic events, bad feelings and other fears are also 1 of the memory problem. These memories may contain horrible events and bad feelings.

   2 groups of people are vulnerable to this disease, persons suffering from Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

   Research shows that people suffering from depression are reminded of unpleasant events of the life or nay mistakes they have made in their life; this increases the intensity of depression in them.

   Patients of PTSD have unwanted memories on their mind. These conditions can lead to different conditions of Traumatic exposure like sexual abuse or experiences during war. Flashbacks of Traumatic situations are always there on the mind that is the main component of PTSD.

5. Blocking

   This is the condition in which the right answer is on your tongue but you can’t think of it. This condition is a common example of blocking, which leads to the temporary inability to regain memory. Blocking does not occur because you are not paying attention or your memory has faded. It occurs when the memory is completely stored in your Brain but something is preventing you from getting that information back.

   In most of the cases, people retrieve wrong information other than that which is required.

   A general example of this condition is mother, who wants to call her younger son but calls her elder son. Scientists call this condition as “Ugly Stepsisters” who are dominating in Cinderella.

   Brain-imaging studies have shown hoe the blocking occurs. When a person is regaining memory, some parts of the Brain become over active and some become less active. The memory stored in the over activated parts are retrieved as compare to the other parts of the body so; most of the irrelevant information is retrieved.

   When wrong information is retrieved then the Brain lays stress on the others regions to retrieve the right information as soon as possible.

   Researchers are not clear whether the memory blocks show the slowing of memory retrieval that may occur with the passage of age or it is use to some other reason. The research shows that people can retrieve their desired data and half of blocked memories within just a minute.

6. Bias

   One of the important myths relating to the memory is that our memory works like a Camera and records all perceptions and the experiences with accuracy. The sharpest memory is also not flawless in this case. In an individual’s memory the perceptions are purified by the perceptions, beliefs, experience, mood and knowledge at a moment. The biases become active when the experiences are encoded in the Brain.

   When people regain their memory, their moods and other biases may influence to recall the information. : Bias can influence all types of memories

   The most common example is the recollection of romantic relationships of different people.

   Most of the couples were asked to evaluate their relationships and their partners in an interview and after 2 months, those who had positive relationships recall their first interview as a positive experience while who had bad experience they attribute their experience as a negative in the initial stages too.

   People should consult a doctor to know whether these memory lapses are normal or not. If you feel worried about your memory loss, you should urgently consult a doctor. Most of the memory problems occurred due to the different medical diseases, which should be treated well and as soon as possible. This treatment will reduce the intensity of your memory lapse. People suffering from stress mostly finds that the treatment is good for them as it restores the functions of memory and also stops the further reduction in it. A normal memory test is also found to be effective for your own satisfaction and peace of mind.