Experts say forgetting is a normal function of the brain, so there's no need to worry, but where does the line of forgetfulness start that we should worry about?
Many people have experienced losing track of their remote control or keys, or forgetting what they were searching for the moment they picked up their smartphone. When you experience surprising forgetfulness, you feel anxious, but an expert explained the mechanism of memory and forgetting, saying that forgetting is a normal function of the brain to free up space, so there is no problem.
Why forgetting is a normal function of memory – and when to worry
◆ Mechanism of memory
According to Professor Alexander Easton, a psychologist at Durham University in the UK, people memorize things by ``learning (encoding) things, storing them in the brain (recording), and restoring them when necessary.'' It is said that it goes through a computer-like process of ``Search)''. At this time, if a problem occurs in any process, there is a possibility that you will not be able to recall your memories.
To begin with, the brain cannot process all the information that comes into it, so it selects and encodes the important information, especially the information that it is interested in. This is why you may not remember someone when they introduce themselves to you at a drinking party or dinner party when you are preoccupied with other things.
Not remembering someone introducing themselves is a form of memory loss, but Easton points out that this is perfectly normal and happens all the time.
However, the problem is that you can't remember important things like where the key is. The habit of deciding in advance where to put the key has the meaning of avoiding forgetting it by failing to encode the last place where you left the key.
Rehearsal is also important for memory, and if you don't remember it sometimes, you will forget it. On the other hand, memories that have been rehearsed and memorized over and over again will last forever.
In the 1880s, German psychologist
The phenomenon of forgetting something if you don't rehearse it occurs in everyday life as well. For example, when you drive to the supermarket to buy something, you remember where you parked the car when you entered the store, but if your brain is busy rehearsing what you need to buy, you forget where you left the store. It may be hidden away.
This kind of forgetfulness is characterized by forgetting specific information but remembering the main points. Replacing the previous example, even if you can't remember the exact location of your car, you can remember where in the parking lot you parked it, so you don't have to walk around the entire lot to find it. .
◆Effects of aging
While it's true that people become more forgetful as they get older, Easton says that doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem. This is because living a long life means accumulating experiences, which increases your memory accordingly.
For example, if you've only ever vacationed on a beach in Spain once in your life, you'll always remember it vividly. However, for those who travel to Spain every year, visiting Barcelona and visiting resorts, it is difficult to remember whether their memories of Spain are from their first vacation or from their next trip. maybe.
This phenomenon in which memory interference makes it difficult to retrieve information is similar to losing track of the location of files saved on a PC.
When saving document files on a PC, some people separate them into separate folders, while others put them all in a specific folder. In either case, when there are only a few files, you can find them quickly, but as the number increases, you may become confused about which folder you put them in, or there are so many files in a folder that you can't tell which one you want. I end up not knowing what to do.
While forgetfulness can be a problem, forgetting can also be helpful. An example of this is when people have difficulty forgetting negative events due to depression. There are also cases of post-traumatic stress disorder , or PTSD, which can't be forgotten no matter how much you want to forget, and often interfere with daily life.
Forgetfulness does not necessarily impair decision-making ability
U.S. President Joe Biden, who is 81 years old at the time of writing, is often questioned about his leadership qualities, such as when he confuses Egypt and Mexico, but even as he becomes forgetful, he is still able to make decisions. It is said that the ability of the person is not affected. 'Older people have deep knowledge and great intuition, which can help compensate for memory gaps,' Easton said.
On the other hand, it's true that forgetfulness can be a sign of a bigger problem, such as if you find yourself asking the same questions over and over again, so you should talk to your doctor. Similarly, if you find yourself getting lost in a place you think you know well, it's a sign that you don't know how to navigate using the cues around you. Also, when having dinner with your family, forgetting how to use a fork and knife is clearly abnormal, even if it's just that you can't remember people's names in conversation.
Easton concludes by saying, ``The bottom line is that your own forgetfulness or the forgetfulness of others is nothing to be afraid of, but if it's causing problems in your life, then there's something unusual about it.'' It might be happening,” he concluded.
Related Posts:
in Note, Posted by log1l_ks