“The past affects the present even without our being aware of it.”
-Dr. Francine Shapiro
Dr. Francine Shapiro, the creator of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
(EMDR), was well aware of how powerful memories can be. Whether they exist in our
conscious awareness or are lost deep in our psyche, memories have the power to affect
the way we think, feel, and relate to others.
Neuroscientists have long been interested in how memories are stored in the brain, and
new scientific advancements have made it possible to learn more about this topic than
ever before.
One of the most surprising revelations they’ve found is that memories aren’t fixed,
unpliable stories. Rather, memories have the potential to change, even after they’ve
been stored for years. This is a process called “memory reconsolidation,” and it has
exciting implications for mental health.
How Are Memories Formed?
Before diving into memory reconsolidation, let’s set a foundation by learning more about
memories. The human brain contains around 100 billion cells called “neurons.” These
special cells process data from the outside world and help your body respond to this
data appropriately.
They also play a significant role in forming memories. According to the University of
Queensland, “memories occur when specific groups of neurons are reactivated.” This
means that memories are remembered when unique combinations of neurons fire
together. The more a group of neurons is activated, the stronger the memory becomes.
To help understand memory formation, think of your brain as a forest. Each neuron is
like an individual tree and the connections between them are like trails. When a hiker
travels down the trail, it becomes well-worn. Similarly, when a memory is recalled,
neurons activate and strengthen a “trail” in your brain. When activated frequently, these
connections become very strong, making the memory easy to recall.
How Do Memories Affect Mental Health?
Recently, psychologists have become aware of how memories might have an impact on
mental health. How so? When someone experiences a traumatic event, the memory of the incident is formed and stored in their brain.
However, traumatic memories are different from regular memories because of how they
are stored in the brain. Triggers like a smell, sight, or sound can easily reactivate these
memories and cause someone to feel like they are reliving the trauma all over again.
Many clinicians believe that these traumatic memories are the foundation for many
mental health problems that people experience. In fact, research suggests that
disorders like PTSD, generalized anxiety, or major depression might have origins in
traumatic memories – as someone re-experiences these memories, their mental health
declines.
What Is Memory Reconsolidation?
Thankfully, an upsetting memory doesn’t have to stay that way. Neuroscientists have
discovered that memories can be changed after they are stored. As I mentioned before,
this is a process called “memory reconsolidation.”
An article published in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods defines memory
reconsolidation as “the process that enables the update of a previously consolidated
memory…after its reactivation, through re-exposure to unconditioned stimuli,
conditioned stimuli and/or context.”
To put it more simply, memory reconsolidation is the theory that once a memory is
activated, there is an opportunity to change a person’s response to it.
Let’s use PTSD as an example. Imagine someone was in a car accident and now
experiences anxiety when they drive past the site of their accident. Revisiting the site of
the accident reactivates the upsetting memory of the wreck and causes anxiety.
With memory reconsolidation, the memory can be changed into a normal, non-upsetting
memory. Instead of feeling anxious about revisiting the site of the accident, the person
can drive past it without feeling upset because their memory of the accident has been
changed.
It’s important to note that memory reconsolidation doesn’t change the person’s
knowledge of what happened. Rather, it changes their emotional response to the
memory. They’ll always remember what happened, but the experience of remembering
what happened can be different. How? This is where therapy comes into play.
How Can Memory Reconsolidation Help in Therapy?
Memory reconsolidation can help explain why certain types of therapy are beneficial.
Many therapies, such as EMDR, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and emotion-
focused therapy (EFT) appear to utilize memory reconsolidation to help people heal.
Using their own unique techniques, these therapies reactivate distressing memories
before introducing new emotional information. This process allows your brain to create a
new “path” to travel down instead of the old, distressing path it’s used to.
For example, ART is a type of therapy that helps people reprocess traumatic events.
Some therapists believe ART’s effectiveness can be explained by memory
reconsolidation. During an ART session, the client thinks about the traumatic memory.
They then get to “direct” the memory in a new, positive way. The result is that they
experience the memory without negative emotions and mental pictures, all thanks to
memory reconsolidation.
Learn More
This article only begins to scratch the surface on the complex science of memory
reconsolidation. If you’re interested in learning more, check out the documentary
“Memory Hackers.” It has more fascinating information about memory reconsolidation
and the potential it has to help people overcome their fears.
Bio: Michael Schiferl is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist and the owner
of Trailhead Counseling Services. He specializes in working with men fighting PTSD,
anxiety disorders, and OCD.