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Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

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101–110 of 135 posts

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#101
post #44

So does 10 mg zolpidem tartrate. As in, totally prevents memory formation. Gotta be careful with that stuff. And prototypically, marijuana. Back in the day, I'd always see movies stoned. That way, if I liked them, I could see them again freshly. And if I didn't liked them, I could forget about them more easily.

Brain injury can also obliterate memory abilities. I've had a single moderate concussion, where one of my first memories afterwards is of sitting in the hospital emergency room with a couple friends. I had a notebook with my handwriting, containing several pages of questions/answers that my friends had me write down so they could stop repeating themselves to me.

> Brain injury can also obliterate memory abilities.

I think any kind of shock/adventure can mess with memories. I was in a nasty car accident about half a decade ago. I escaped virtually un-hurt (just some bruises and bumps all over). I can only remember flashes from before and after the accident.

None of us in the car can recall what actually happened (even the driver!). One moment we were cruising smoothly at about 100km/h and the next moment I'm crawling out through the windscreen, because the car is upturned and the passenger window is crushed closed.

None of us had anything more severe than a few bumps and a couple of scratches in my palm from the broken glass. But none of us can clearly remember how it happened, how I called for help on my phone, how we were taken to the hospital.

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#102

> They make people nauseous or they give people hangovers, so why do we find them so rewarding? Why do we remember the good things about them and not the bad? Is this not generally true? I like to hike, but a lot of times climbing a mountain is absolutely miserable, and I might be sore for some time afterword. Yet I always remember it as a great experience. Or with past relationships, I have to try to remember the ba…

The term I've heard to describe things like this (marathons, mountaineering, etc) is type 2 fun. Type 1 fun is actually fun while you're doing it, type 2 fun takes a couple of weeks to forget the suffering and to decide that it was in fact fun.

Eat eggs and bacon for breakfast and it's type 1 fun.

Have some porridge and you'll feel great entire morning :)

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#103
post #28

> They make people nauseous or they give people hangovers, so why do we find them so rewarding? Why do we remember the good things about them and not the bad? Is this not generally true? I like to hike, but a lot of times climbing a mountain is absolutely miserable, and I might be sore for some time afterword. Yet I always remember it as a great experience. Or with past relationships, I have to try to remember the ba…

Yes, I think it is quite normal. Alcohol is a cheap, ubiquitous drug that helps us relax today, for a roughly proportionate cost which we can pay tomorrow (plus whatever longer-term costs like liver damage or memory formation which we can ignore or put off for even longer). It's not confusing or unintuitive. Alcohol helps us relax. That's all it does! Which leads to all the other behaviors that are secondary to sudde…

> It's not confusing or unintuitive. Alcohol helps us relax. That's all it does!

Alcohol can also carry many flavors and dissolve oils in suspension (it is a solvent, after all). This is one of the reasons whiskies have such diverse flavors. Many vanilla extracts are also around 35-40% abv (alcohol free versions use glycerin?... I think?).

Alcohol (wines for example) can also useful in cooking, where the alcohol is boiled off and some of the flavors and oils are left behind.

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#104
post #28

> They make people nauseous or they give people hangovers, so why do we find them so rewarding? Why do we remember the good things about them and not the bad? Is this not generally true? I like to hike, but a lot of times climbing a mountain is absolutely miserable, and I might be sore for some time afterword. Yet I always remember it as a great experience. Or with past relationships, I have to try to remember the ba…

Yes, I think it is quite normal. Alcohol is a cheap, ubiquitous drug that helps us relax today, for a roughly proportionate cost which we can pay tomorrow (plus whatever longer-term costs like liver damage or memory formation which we can ignore or put off for even longer). It's not confusing or unintuitive. Alcohol helps us relax. That's all it does! Which leads to all the other behaviors that are secondary to sudde…

Alcohol helps us relax. That's all it does!

That's just silly. (I'd go into detail but I think it's sufficiently obvious.) Have you ever tried it?

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#105

> They make people nauseous or they give people hangovers, so why do we find them so rewarding? Why do we remember the good things about them and not the bad? Is this not generally true? I like to hike, but a lot of times climbing a mountain is absolutely miserable, and I might be sore for some time afterword. Yet I always remember it as a great experience. Or with past relationships, I have to try to remember the ba…

It might also be related to the peak-end rule[1]. The most intense feeling of a hike can come in many places, probably at the end if the goal is to get somewhere in particular or to complete a specific goal. Although it might be mostly bad/hard, you remember the end (satisfying) and the peak emotion which is the good feeling.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak–end_rule

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#106
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Taking that further, it has also probably had a considerable effect on population numbers. Alcohol probably adds to the birth rate.

I'm not sure how well that hypothesis would hold up in a quick comparison of alcohol consumption per capita vs birth rate. Space aliens looking at those numbers might even mistake alcohol for a mild contraceptive.

Possibly at the high end of consumption, also possibly, your parents had a glass of wine or a dash of alcohol just before your conception.

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#107
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you in a program that biases your thoughts towards the negative aspects?

Would such a program be necessary? I stopped taking LSD and psilocybin because of the negative effects it had on me. No program required.

As a non-user I'm curious, what kind of negative effects? If you don't mind sharing.

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#108
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brain injury can also obliterate memory abilities. I've had a single moderate concussion, where one of my first memories afterwards is of sitting in the hospital emergency room with a couple friends. I had a notebook with my handwriting, containing several pages of questions/answers that my friends had me write down so they could stop repeating themselves to me.

Hey, but at least you had friends and something to write with :) Overwhelmed as one would be, placed in my position Such a heavy burden now to be the one Born to bear and bring to all the details of our ending To write it down for all the world to see But I forgot my pen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZXJLQntCP0

Literally had this song playing by pure chance from a big shuffle playlist, and did a double take.

How's that for chance :)

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#109
post #44

So does 10 mg zolpidem tartrate. As in, totally prevents memory formation. Gotta be careful with that stuff. And prototypically, marijuana. Back in the day, I'd always see movies stoned. That way, if I liked them, I could see them again freshly. And if I didn't liked them, I could forget about them more easily.

[deleted]

Re: Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed

#110
One aspect which is often not considered with alcohol is that it’s one of the few drugs where you’re not just taking it to experience its affect – to get drunk. There are so many fantastically variable tastes and mouth feels with drinks that for many the majority of the pleasure is actually in consuming them. Wines & beers are a pleasure to drink and can go extremely well with food, often adding another layer to the enjoyment of the meal. Sipping spirits and cocktails can be a fantastic sensory experience, there is a whole world of flavours to explore and enjoy.

The getting tipsy / drunk part is, of course, part of it and some people do go too far. It also has a lot of other problems but don’t lose sight that there is so much more to it than just getting drunk.

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