I am going back home after 3 years spent abroad (2020-2023). The feeling of relief is immense as I haven’t seen my family and friends for such an extended period.
While the pandemic has long been over in most countries, the situation in China remains different for the last 3 years. It is only since the beginning of this year (for five months), that people can finally travel out of the country without restrictions.
The memories of the past three years, filled with regular lockdowns, quarantines, and numerous other restrictions on activities like traveling, are still vivid in our minds and will likely remain so for a significant time. It is an experience that won’t be forgotten easily by anyone.
So how long it will take to “Forget” these (good or bad) memories?
Probably never!
Neuroscience perspective:
From the perspective of neuroscience, memories are not permanently stored in one specific location in the brain like files in a computer. Instead, memories are believed to be distributed and interconnected networks of neural activity that involve various regions of the brain.
It is normal to forget certain details or experiences over time. Memories that are not reinforced or retrieved frequently can fade or become more difficult to recall. However, this does not mean that the memories are completely lost. They may still be present but require cues or context to trigger their retrieval.
Psychology perspective:
Psychology acknowledges that memory loss can occur, but it highlights that forgetting, memory interference, encoding or retrieval issues, context-dependent memory, and memory distortions play significant roles. While memories may be difficult to access or recall, they may not be permanently lost and can often be recovered or reconstructed with appropriate cues or context.
Neither neuroscience or psychology approach to understanding memory provides certainty regarding whether memories are lost or retained. However, they suggest that if memories do persist, it can be challenging to access them directly, and only cues or contextual information may aid in their retrieval.
Holistic perspective:
On a holistic approach it completely different, as we are not only care for the memories itself but also all changes which was carried out by the experience itself.
Let me provide an example to illustrate this point; Imagine that when I was three years old, during a holiday by the sea, I had a near-drowning experience. Even though I am now 33 years old and cannot recall this specific event, I still have a fear of water that prevents me from swimming.
Although the memory of the event itself may be lost, its impact on my mind remains evident. It has shaped my mindset and habits, continuing to influence my life.
While the memory may have transformed or taken on a different form, the effects of these experiences persist.
In theory we can try to forget something, in reality we can never success.
