Brain Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Are Processed as Present Experience • Hacker News Board

Re: Brain Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Are Processed as Present Experience

#11

Post by mptest » Sat, Dec 02, 2023, 1:56 AM UTC

zlg_codes wrote: post #5

mptest wrote: post #4

Walking your blues away by thom hartman is a beautiful book that applies emdr + walking to process trauma. In the book, he notes the prevailing theory that our daily happenings remain on a sort of temporary scratchpad. As we sleep we sort, discard, process as necessary. Trauma however, is too big, too hard to process naturally. So, it stays on that daily scratch pad. Always with you. Every day, the same as if it were…

Thanks for the recommendation. I find myself ruminating on things that are years separated from me, on a daily basis, so maybe this will be helpful.

Best of luck friend. As mentioned in my other reply, it works best with some therapy to help process while you're focusing on the issue, and it works best on more acute trauma, but I've found it helps at least a good bit with everything. After all how many famous thinkers espoused the value of walking to help them think?

It really helped me think about the issues as healthily as they could be, and it severely diminished the constant presence of them in my thoughts. I hope it helps you.

Re: Brain Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Are Processed as Present Experience

#12

Post by mptest » Sat, Dec 02, 2023, 2:00 AM UTC

_thisdot wrote: post #6

mptest wrote: post #4

Walking your blues away by thom hartman is a beautiful book that applies emdr + walking to process trauma. In the book, he notes the prevailing theory that our daily happenings remain on a sort of temporary scratchpad. As we sleep we sort, discard, process as necessary. Trauma however, is too big, too hard to process naturally. So, it stays on that daily scratch pad. Always with you. Every day, the same as if it were…

Why We Sleep by Matt Walker goes into a similar topic. Paraphrased in hacker language by me, the gist is that the brain’s “cache” holds memories alongside the emotions. Whereas the “hard disk” part of the brain doesn’t hold on to emotions. The process of moving stuff from “cache” to “hard disk” happens during the dreaming/REM phase. Which is inhibited if you’re 1. Having nightmares that wake you up 2. Using sleeping…

Exactly right, the idea is basically to force the processing that happens during that rem phase.

That's done, Hartman theorizes, and I forgot the level of basis in empirics he has, by doing anything that facilitates both sides of your brain working together. That's easiest done by walking, since you really are forcing both sides to communicate to facilitate the motion. Then thinking and focusing on the trauma/loss basically mimics the processing done during that rem processing.

Re: Brain Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Are Processed as Present Experience

#13

Post by mptest » Sat, Dec 02, 2023, 2:06 AM UTC

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #8

mptest wrote: post #4

Walking your blues away by thom hartman is a beautiful book that applies emdr + walking to process trauma. In the book, he notes the prevailing theory that our daily happenings remain on a sort of temporary scratchpad. As we sleep we sort, discard, process as necessary. Trauma however, is too big, too hard to process naturally. So, it stays on that daily scratch pad. Always with you. Every day, the same as if it were…

I've done that! When I've had a setback. When my friend died. I use my bicycle but maybe the same deal.

One hundred percent the same deal. The idea is anything that utilizes both sides of your body utilizes both sides of your brain too.

Walking is just the easiest and something almost everyone can do. In therapy I've had it be something as simple as tapping each thigh with my hands alternatively.

Re: Brain Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Are Processed as Present Experience

#14

Post by Obscurity4340 » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 2:32 AM UTC

mptest wrote: post #10

Obscurity4340 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you briefly outline the method. I actually do this sometimes but I'm not sure how systematic or "correct" it is. 1. Walk 2. Think of traumatic or challneging thing 3. Rapidly dart eyes left to right and rinse/repeat for a while 4. Profit?

Take out three and you've pretty much got the idea. 1. Any movement that utilizes both halves of your brain/body. Walking is just easiest and the one he chooses. In therapy I've had something as simple as alternatively tapping my hands on my thighs. The point is to be using both sides of your brain. I've found walking works best personally. 2. Think of traumatic thing/event. Really focus on it at the front of your mi…

So what should I do with my gaze, should I zone out, would that be helpful

Re: Brain Study Suggests Traumatic Memories Are Processed as Present Experience

#15

Post by mptest » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 10:52 PM UTC

Obscurity4340 wrote: post #14

mptest wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Take out three and you've pretty much got the idea. 1. Any movement that utilizes both halves of your brain/body. Walking is just easiest and the one he chooses. In therapy I've had something as simple as alternatively tapping my hands on my thighs. The point is to be using both sides of your brain. I've found walking works best personally. 2. Think of traumatic thing/event. Really focus on it at the front of your mi…

So what should I do with my gaze, should I zone out, would that be helpful

Whatever helps you focus on the thoughts. Personally, I've found walking in nature is the best. There's plenty of empirics about being in and around nature and even if you're focusing on your surroundings it won't harm your focus (in my case at least, it feels like it helps). But honestly I haven't made any concerted effort to force behavior gaze wise either way. YMMV