There are multiple ways in which false memories can be ‘implanted’ or formed within your mind: Not only are you struggling with obsessions, compulsions, and high anxiety, you’re also battling with often horrific memories that can feel completely real. Having false memory OCD can be extremely distressing for the individual. As they dwell on this, the false memory begins to form and they convince themselves that the event must have happened.
I think that i may be creating memories full#
An individual might fear that they acted on one of their obsessions when they weren’t in full control, and believe that the substance use is the reason they don’t remember the event clearly. Sometimes false memories can form after substance use, such as after a night out drinking or after the individual has taken drugs. You can picture the details of it and see yourself doing it: this leads to you believing that you actually did something terrible. You then go over this thought repeatedly in your mind and it starts to become a false memory. For example if you have sexual obsessions revolving around children, you might have been carrying out a daily task such as bathing your child, but later on find yourself panicking that you may have touched them inappropriately (even though you know logically you didn’t). For example if you have harm obsessions, you may ‘recall’ being on a night out years ago and having attacked someone, even though you didn’t!įalse memories can also be in regard to short term memories.
The false memories can be focused on long term memories, such as thinking back to many years ago and ‘recalling’ a memory of doing something terrible. Alternatively, if their obsessions are around contamination, their false memory may be that they touched something which was contaminated. For example, if an individual has obsessions around harm, their false memory may be that they actually harmed someone in the past. However, it’s common for the false memories to be related to the obsessions. There aren’t specific types of false memories which plague OCD sufferers: they can be about literally anything. However, as mentioned, false memories can crop up for anyone with OCD, no matter what the theme of their obsessions. They tend to be more common in those with obsessions around harm or sexual obsessions, with the false memories revolving around committing a crime or a shameful act related to their obsession. Types of false memoriesįalse memories can accompany any type of obsession. Sometimes a false memory lasts a relatively short time, such as a few weeks, and then passes: the memory which has passed is usually replaced by a new false memory, and so the cycle continues. False memories can last for a long period of time, lasting several months or even years.
This is because the individual ‘feeds’ the memory by dwelling on it and giving it more attention.Īn individual might struggle with one false memory at a time which they are extremely focused on, or they may have multiple false memories at once. As time progresses, the memory often becomes more vivid and detailed. A lot of the focus will be on ‘proving’ whether the memory is real or false. They will then carry out compulsions to try to ‘cope’ with the memory or to alleviate anxiety or guilt around it. They will spend a great deal of time thinking about the memory. These false memories cause a lot of distress for the individual and often feed into their obsessions.
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