What Is The Interplay Of Memory, Fact & Emotion?

Hey there,

It's Christine Collins and today we have a really interesting topic around memory.

And sometimes we may wonder how factual are our actual memories.

And it is very interesting when we start to take this apart a little bit more and look at memories that have a strong emotional component.

And sometimes the emotion can actually distort some of the factual details.

So the memory storage portion of the brain is the hippocampus.

And when there is a strong emotional component,

The amygdala,

Gets involved.

Now typically our brain will prioritize emotional details over peripheral factual ones and as a result we may actually lose some of the details in favor of preserving that emotional context.

In addition to that the amygdala is sort of stamping or tagging the emotional pieces of the memory.

Kind of like a little highlighter but instead of it being in colors it is stamping it with things like norepinephrine and cortisol which is our hormone.

And sometimes these decisions are being made subconsciously by the brain as event is actually unfolding before we even know that we're going to have something to record,

The brain is already determining how to record that memory.

And because in a highly emotional context,

We tend to hone in on specific details that are emotionally relevant,

We actually may not correctly record some of the other pieces of information about that memory.

And each time we think about any memory later on,

We're sort of reactivating it and each time we are kind of reconsolidating the pieces of information,

Kind of re-remembering it in a new way and there is some research that indicates that we are actually capable of changing the emotional association that we have with specific memories.

So not changing the facts of what occurred but changing that emotional component.

So the hippocampus which is responsible for the memory piece and then the amygdala which is responsible for the emotional context.

Because they're sort of stored in separate places,

Even though we experience it as one solidified memory,

It is possible to shift and transform the emotional relevant context.

And even more interesting,

It seems as though sleep plays a crucial role in consolidating and processing these memories.

So during REM sleep,

While the brain is re-experiencing or consolidating some of the memory,

May also be reducing some of the stress component that is affiliated with that memory.

So after a good night of sleep,

After having a difficult experience,

The next day when we remember that thing,

It may have a lower amount of stress than when we first experienced it or first remembered it.

It's like we've literally reprocessed the emotional weight of that memory.

And this capacity that we may have to transform some of that emotional context is very relevant it to things like trauma and healing.

Because it may mean that we have an opportunity to not change the past,

Not change the facts or the memory itself,

But change the emotional context and the emotions surrounding it.

And in terms of self-care,

It's also important to understand that while processing more intense emotional events,

Our judgment is actually a bit skewed because we are so laser focused on that emotional context.

So it's not a good time for for making big decisions.

And of course there are many tools available to assist and aid us in terms of processing,

Healing,

And transforming the emotional context around many different memories.

And until we connect the next time,

I wish you the most magical and creative rest of your day.