False memories can lead to altered recollections of incidents, thoughts, and emotions. How do false memories manifest themselves and how to cope with them?

A Memory refers to the procedures for acquiring, storing, retaining, and retrieving information. 

A false memory is any occurrence that a person vividly recalls that did not occur at all, or did not occur in the manner that the person recognizes. False memories have sparked a lot of debate in psychiatry and psychology, so what is the truth behind this issue?

Read on to figure out their structure, causes, and coping techniques.

What is a false memory?

A false memory is a recall that appears true in your mind but is, in part or whole, not true. The majority of false recollections aren’t wicked or even maliciously damaging. Instead, they are memory shifts or reconstructions that do not correspond to factual occurrences.

These memories are frequently traumatic, such as sexual abuse as a child. These memories may be linked to a person’s current behavior and could have an impact on their identity and relationships. 

There are no methodologies that can determine the validity of these recollections, and science does not yet have a mechanism to show whether a recovered memory is true or untrue in the absence of independent evidence. 

Causes of false memories

Memories are intricate. While you would view memory as a black-and-white entity, the truth is that recollections are flexible and frequently unreliable.

While you sleep, events are shifted from your temporary memory to permanent storage. However, memory fragments could be lost. This is where false memories might begin.

1. Inaccurate Perception

Human perception isn’t always accurate. We tend to see things that aren’t there and overlook obvious things in front of us. False memories frequently occur because the information is not encoded correctly in the first place. A witness to an accident, for example, may not have a clear perspective of everything that occurred.

2. Inference

Old memories and experiences compete with current information in other circumstances. Old memories can sometimes interfere with or alter our new memories, while further details can make it challenging to recall previously stored data. As a result, there are often holes or gaps in our memory as we piece old information together.

3. Emotions

You know how difficult it may be if you’ve ever tried to remember the details of an emotionally charged event (e.g., an argument, an accident, or a medical emergency). Strong emotions can enhance the memory of an experience, but they can also lead to false or untrustworthy memories.

Risk factors for false memories

Memory fades with time. It is flexible and frequently changing. You may be more prone to developing false memories due to certain persons or experiences. Among them are:

1. OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients may have memory problems or lack confidence in their memories. They may be more likely to fabricate memories because they don’t trust their memories. This frequently leads to the disorder’s related repeated or obsessive behaviors.

2. Trauma

Significant memory distortions might result from trauma. People who have encountered mainly childhood traumas are susceptible to misleading memories. During ordinary life experiences, such occurrences are transformed in many ways. Our memories are priceless, yet they are not without flaws. As a result, stressful situations are recalled and reported differently than ordinary occurrences.

3. Aging

Details about a recollection may fade as you and the memory age. The gist of memory strengthens as the details fade away. For example, you might recall going to the beach on your honeymoon, but you can’t recognize the name of the hotel, the weather, or even the city you visited.

How to cope with false memories 

The issue with false memories is challenging to detect once they have been established. They don’t stand out from other recollections; instead, they’re woven into the fabric of our recollected events.

1. Evaluate and corroborate your memories:

Suppose you have a memory that you aren’t sure about. You can validate or refute it by analyzing it based on your expectations and then collaborating it with other people’s recollections or other historical data.

2. Meditate

Meditation can help you stay healthy in a variety of ways. Meditation can help you clear your mind and give you the right mentality for thinking about what happened and the direction of the incidents.

3. Train your brain

Playing brain games to exercise your cognitive skills is a fun and efficient approach to improving your memory. For example, crossword puzzles, word games, Tetris, and even memory-training mobile apps are great ways to improve memory.

4. Ask for help

If you figured out that your memory is altering your life and negatively affecting it, make sure to ask for help from your friends, family, and surroundings. You can also refer to a professional psychologist or neurologist to give you the correct guidance.

While many people find it difficult to believe, everyone has erroneous recollections. Even among those who generally have good memories, our memories are not as dependable as we think, and false memories can quickly form.

Stay patient and don’t blame yourself!