Exploring the mystery of memories

Mr. Ed said:
I had TMS transcranial magnetic stimulation, in 2021 that helped me with lost childhood memories. It is time for more treatment but in addition to TMS they offer Ketamine intravenous and drip iv method. The drip iv takes up to 40 minutes and the plain IV gets in your system faster with more intense hallucinations.
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Interesting. I had heard of it being used primarily for depression, but apparently it may help with memory as well. However, memories are easily contaminated by various factors, so I guess they would have to be handled with a bit of skepticism until they could be validated by others or by material evidence. Still, it's quite remarkable they can do this.
 

bobcat said:
I am always interested in matters of the brain (How it works, how it copes, how it thinks, and how it remembers). I have enjoyed many books on the subject as well as informative articles. Here is an interesting interview done by Med Circle that I watched a while back with a DID individual. It's about an hour long, so when you have time, grab a cup, sit back and I think you will enjoy it. It is very informative from a first-person perspective.
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Great, I will end my day with that link instead of the news.

The Senior Companion "mandatory meeting" had a great training yesterday on the mind-body connection. It heightened my awareness that my increased anxiety is a repercussion of the ice storm we had a few weeks ago. We were traumatized by our world being frozen and trees snapping in two and crushing houses and cars, and a few people who lost electricity lost their lives. I still want to hide in my cave, covered by furs and hopefully calmed by flute music or stories that give our clan courage.

As said in our training, the communication between our brain and body is not one-way, but is two-way. Our bodies tell our minds what to think. There was a point in the meeting when I was triggered to say "I quit". Only this morning did I realize the ice storm may be behind my thoughts of giving up. At the moment, the gal in charge said she would adjust things so I don't quit. That exchange happened before the mind/body explanation. I feel lighter and more hopeful with the awareness that the ice storm could be playing a big factor in how I have been feeling and thinking.

The ice storm was weeks ago and the worst of the pandemic was years ago, and these things are still affecting us today. Our lives have been hijacked. Our training also explained children growing up in severe adversity may be affected for a lifetime. Trauma causes biological changes and it is hard to overcome this.

Our clan needs music and stories to ride through the rough times.
 

Paco Dennis said:
While inaccurate memories can impact our self-perception, it's crucial to remember that identity is multifaceted. While memories contribute significantly, our sense of self also arises from ongoing experiences, interactions, and how we interpret the world around us. Even with imperfect memories, we constantly update and adapt our self-perception based on present realities.
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Very good and valid points Dennis.
 
Mr. Ed said:
I had TMS transcranial magnetic stimulation, in 2021 that helped me with lost childhood memories. It is time for more treatment but in addition to TMS they offer Ketamine intravenous and drip iv method. The drip iv takes up to 40 minutes and the plain IV gets in your system faster with more intense hallucinations.
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Wow, that is exciting technology. I had to look it up and if anyone else is curious here is a link
Transcranial magnetic stimulation - Mayo Clinic

This is very interesting-- "This coil delivers magnetic pulses that stimulate nerve cells in the region of your brain involved in mood control and depression. It's thought to activate regions of the brain that have decreased activity during depression."

Electric shock treatment or Electroconvulsive therapy, was not a pleasant experience and I was told its goal was to erase memories, not to stimulate the nerve cells. It worked well for a woman I knew. She was a very happy person after years of depression. But losing her husband but not the money he provided could have contributed greatly to her improved spirits.

Back to the notion of stimulating the region of the brain that affects mood, Christianity or comparable mythologies are very helpful brain stimulants and I have read mediation and music can also be helpful.

"The Role of Emotion in Storytelling: How to Evoke Strong ...​

https://kinnu.xyz/kinnuverse/cultur...ow-to-evoke-strong-feelings-in-your-audience/
Kinnu
https://kinnu.xyz › ... › Culture › The Art of Storytelling



When crafting stories, it's important to consider how you can evoke specific emotions in your audience. One way to do this is by using emotional triggers—words ...

‎The Science of Emotion: How... · ‎The Role of Empathy in... · ‎Emotional Triggers"

For meditation here is a page full of links-
mood and mindfulness meditation - Google Search

And music-
"Music and MoodListening to (or making) music increases blood flow to brain regions that generate and control emotions. The limbic system, which is involved in processing emotions and controlling memory, “lights” up when our ears perceive music.

Why — and How — Music Moves Us | Pfizer​

https://www.pfizer.com/news/article...ystem, which is,when our ears perceive music.
Pfizer
https://www.pfizer.com › news › articles › why_and_ho..."

Oh and in the training I attended yesterday, the speaker spoke of the importance of friends, family, and other social connections. AA programs are an excellent example of thinking of a higher power, intentional thinking, and good relationships can be to our healing.

And I want to warn, just because we are not aware of the impact of a trauma, that does not mean it is not a hidden factor in how we think and feel.
 
Paco Dennis said:
While inaccurate memories can impact our self-perception, it's crucial to remember that identity is multifaceted. While memories contribute significantly, our sense of self also arises from ongoing experiences, interactions, and how we interpret the world around us. Even with imperfect memories, we constantly update and adapt our self-perception based on present realities.
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I don't think that happens automatically. My experiences have made the subject of our body and brain very interesting to me. It is the pits to be at the end of my life before I learn how to enjoy life and appreciate who I am.

I keep hoping reincarnation is for real because, like a computer game I can repeat until I get it perfect, I would love another chance at life.:giggle:
 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763424000435

In conclusion, a thorough exploration of engram diversity is indispensable. This entails considering both the inputs and outputs of all interconnected engram neurons, including both excitatory and inhibitory cell types.

The term "engram cells" IMO is misleading, a legacy of the way earlier researchers incorrectly expected memories to reside within specific individual neurons. Instead the term "engram" remains in research literature with its intent now to describe networks of neural cells and their neural plasticity interconnections.

In any case as with consciousness theories, there is IMO a disconnect with what dominant neuroscience considers the essence of mind as being the actual flesh neural organic structures and what it really is IMO, an oscillating standing wave electromagnetic field brain wave phenomenon within those flesh containers of what is referred to as mind. That is a difficult concept to grasp much as many scientists tend to have issues understanding universe infinities. But consider those fields occur in all Earth animal creatures with neural systems so the old epiphenomenon dismissal lacks logic.

330px-White_Matter_Connections_Obtained_with_MRI_Tractography.png


So as to the OP's subject, IMO memories are like this above connectome image encompassing much of the conscious aware brain's circuitry. When memories change, it is a matter of small changes of degree within something vastly larger. So a few synaptic axon to dendrite chemical changes among millions of others that represent whatever aware memory. What may be more dramatic is how our executive control pilot decides to operate on such memory that has barely changed.
 
Around major holidays, I have vivid flashbacks to bygone days celebrating them with family and it makes me sad to think they're all gone now. I now realize how much trouble my parents went to to make sure I had a happy time. I guess that's why many people get depressed around holidays.
 
Memories
Light the corners of my mind
Misty watercolor memories
Of the way we were

Scattered pictures
Of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were

Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Or has time re-written every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me, would we?
Could we?

Memories
May be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply to choose to forget

So it's the laughter
We will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were
The way we were
 
Paco Dennis said:
While inaccurate memories can impact our self-perception, it's crucial to remember that identity is multifaceted. While memories contribute significantly, our sense of self also arises from ongoing experiences, interactions, and how we interpret the world around us. Even with imperfect memories, we constantly update and adapt our self-perception based on present realities.
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Just this morning I was told about a person who lives far out of town and at this time in his life he is not safe in his isolated home. He needs to be around people for the growing reasons you explained and his safety! But he is angry and a difficult person to be with, and he sure has no desire to move into senior housing. I love senior housing! I am glad to have someone on the other side of the wall who might hear me if I call for help. Or the nosey neighbors who will come investigate if they don't see me for a few days.

Most importantly, I see our later years as a time to come to peace with our lives, and an isolated, angry person is living in the past with a story that does not lead to peace. That is sad.
 
Vida May said:
Just this morning I was told about a person who lives far out of town and at this time in his life he is not safe in his isolated home. He needs to be around people for the growing reasons you explained and his safety! But he is angry and a difficult person to be with, and he sure has no desire to move into senior housing. I love senior housing! I am glad to have someone on the other side of the wall who might hear me if I call for help. Or the nosey neighbors who will come investigate if they don't see me for a few days.

Most importantly, I see our later years as a time to come to peace with our lives, and an isolated, angry person is living in the past with a story that does not lead to peace. That is sad.
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Don't know about this fella, however, from experience I do know the frustration from cognitive issues and being self-aware.

I'm a pretty relaxed and happy fella as a rule. during bad times I find myself getting angry, frustrated, embarrassed, and emotional. Struggling to make a cup of coffee. Brushing your teeth with Polysporin, I did get a chuckle out that, brings you to your senses real quick. Forget where you are going. I lost it on a taxi driver this week, that is just not me. Forgot the name of the receptionist at the dentists office, called her the wrong name. Names have always been so important to me. And then you remember strange and random things, you wonder what the hell is happening to you. Then you worry and stress. It's a bit of an endless circle.
 
iksentrik said:
Don't know about this fella, however, from experience I do know the frustration from cognitive issues and being self-aware.

I'm a pretty relaxed and happy fella as a rule. during bad times I find myself getting angry, frustrated, embarrassed, and emotional. Struggling to make a cup of coffee. Brushing your teeth with Polysporin, I did get a chuckle out that, brings you to your senses real quick. Forget where you are going. I lost it on a taxi driver this week, that is just not me. Forgot the name of the receptionist at the dentists office, called her the wrong name. Names have always been so important to me. And then you remember strange and random things, you wonder what the hell is happening to you. Then you worry and stress. It's a bit of an endless circle.
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It isn't easy being human. I have my bad moments too. DO NOT call me in the evening to ask something of me. By 4 pm I am tired and I want to be left alone and I will most likely say "NO". Then in the morning when I am rested, I will wonder why I said "no".

I am working on not ruminating. I know those thoughts that pop up. 😂 Old age is purgatory. I have beaten down many thoughts time and again. I find the Christian thinking about forgiveness very helpful, even though I am not Christian. I just like the way my Christian friends handle the need to forgive others and ourselves.
 
Sometimes I wonder if I am being selective about the memories I allow myself to remember. If I am feeling poorly physically, which is more prominent is old age, I tend to remember situations that have similar bad feelings. I think those limitations exist, and need to be understood as not being an indication of having a "bad attitude". :)
 
Paco Dennis said:
Sometimes I wonder if I am being selective about the memories I allow myself to remember. If I am feeling poorly physically, which is more prominent is old age, I tend to remember situations that have similar bad feelings. I think those limitations exist, and need to be understood as not being an indication of having a "bad attitude". :)
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That is a good point and here is the science.....

"The brain stores highly emotional memories longer than neutral memories. Negative memories are remembered longer because those memories are corresponded with high stress situations. From an evolutionary standpoint, it is important to remember a highly stressful situation in order to avoid it if it arises in the future." Why Do Bad Memories Last Longer?
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Another very interesting thread Bobcat. Thank you.

At times, I'll have a memory that is just on the boundary and as I try to recall more of it, it seems to vanish like smoke. Frustrating.

I've also wondered if reading a lot of books can effect your memories as the stories take place within your mind's eye.
 

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