Shock And Loss Of Memory

[FUNKMAN]

Horde King,

back in 1987 I was in a car accident and took a strong blow to my face when I hit the steering wheel. I did not have a seatbelt and there was enough impact to kill the driver of the other vehicle...

Over a 12 hour period, before i got operated on, all I can remember is 3 things things within that time period and they all add up to about 30 seconds of memory.

I remember coming to a stop and getting very upset after realizing what just happened...
Looking up from a laying down position and all I could see was white and saying "hey, my teeth are loose"
And looking at the doctor and he says "please breathe into this"

I was awake for the 12 hour period and did many things and said many things per my wife and family but I remember none of it...

Do you think there is any chance that some of these things or memories will come back to me or are they erased from my mind?

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[HordeKing1]

While it's conceivable that you've blocked out a particularly truamatic portion of the event, more likely than not the events of this time were never imprinted on your memory. This was due to the shock you experienced. As such it's as if you never experienced them.

Some heavy duty medications (in sufficient doses) prevent memories from being imprinted. Others cause actual brain damage which prevents the memories from being recalled.

People with dementia (lmid to late stage Altzheimer's for example) can recall events of long ago, but cannot recall events a few minutes past. That's due to actual organic brain damage.

You used the word "shock" which I associated with ECT before I looked at the thread. After ECT's people have a period of time where memories don't imprint as well.

It's really a fascinating question. I don't know of any study comparing degrees of traumatic shock to the degree of memory lost (or never imprinted). It sounds like a good doctoral dissertation, but the sample couldn't be random as it would be unethical to deliberately induce different types of traumatic shock.


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[reeshy]

In other words, Horde King, I can't go around rapping people in the melon with a hammer to get my degree????

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[FUNKMAN]

You used the word "shock" which I associated with ECT


i put shock in there but am only assuming that there must have been some, but not sure...

Thanks for providing your perspective on this!



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[HordeKing1]

It depends REESHY. Do you want a degree in hitting people over the head with a hammer? If so, then that seems to be the path to your PhD.

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