Have you ever forgotten something important? What did you do? Did you panic or try to remember it later? Or maybe you simply forgot because you didn’t care enough.
Forgetting is a natural part of life. We forget things every day, whether it’s our keys, phone numbers, or appointments. Some people even forget their names and faces.
The brain is designed to forget, and forgetting helps us function better.
This is why it’s essential to let go of all those things which no longer matter to you.
So, in contrast to the popular culture where we are constantly reminded of the importance of remembering things, forgetting can be beneficial.
This blog will explain how forgetting can benefit your brain and memory. But first, let’s understand why we forget some details.
Why Do We Forget?
It’s natural to forget things from time to time. But why do you tend to forget certain things more than others?
Some experts say there are a few reasons why we may forget things.
The most common one is that our brain is constantly trying to make sense of the world and retain information relevant to our current situation.
This means we may forget things that don’t have a direct connection to our current situation or don’t help us accomplish our goals.
Additionally, our brains are often overloaded with information and can’t focus on everything at once, which can also lead to forgetfulness.
Furthermore, it could also be due to memory loss from aging or from a traumatic event.
In extreme cases, though, it’s important to remember that forgetting can also be a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. This requires medical supervision.
Only when it’s just occasional forgetting, it has its own benefits.
Why is Forgetting Good for Your Memory?
Forgetting things can be frustrating. Whether you forget where you put your keys or you forget someone’s name, it’s not always a pleasant experience.
However, forgetting things is actually good for your memory.
Occasional forgetting which we are all used to can help sort through the constant stream of incoming stimuli. More elaborate details about the benefits are discussed in depth as we go further down in the blog.
We’ll explore the benefits of forgetting and how it can actually help us remember better.
4 Benefits of Forgetting for Memory and Brain [Explained]
It has been found in recent decades that forgetting is actually good for your memory.
When neurologists study the effects of forgetting on the brain, they find forgetting is not as bad as depicted.
Here’s a quick compilation of the 4 benefits of forgetting.
#1. Free Space for New Information
When you forget, it helps concentrate on the newly presented information. This means you are more likely to remember this new information in the future.
So, in a way, forgetting is an important part of the process of memorizing.
Actually, when we learn something new, our brain goes through several stages in order to store this information permanently.
- The first stage is what we call encoding. It involves converting the information into a form that can be stored in the brain.
- The second stage is consolidation. It helps to make this information accessible by strengthening the connections between neurons.
- Finally, the last stage is the retrieval stage. This stage allows us to access this information whenever we need it.
Thus, by forgetting some of the details about a particular piece of information, we are able to move on and focus on the new material without getting bogged down by unnecessary details.
All in all, a free memory space means support for future memory-storing ability.
#2. Improves Decision-Making Skills
A better decision-making skill requires emotional intelligence and mental clarity.
Emotional intelligence means the ability to control emotions. An emotionally free and logical decision is what we call an emotionally intelligent decision.
But when will we become more emotionally strong? Of course, when those past memories and learned information stop interfering with our decision-making process.
Hence, reducing the interference of previous memories in daily decision-making will improve mental clarity. And who knows this may also motivate you to help others by letting go of old grudges. Helping others also affects the brain and has its own psychological benefits.
The mental clarity you get can further be useful when making creative decisions. For instance, when you need to think of different ways to use an object.
In this case, forgetting about the learned ways allows access to new decisions. Thus, helping you stay sharp and present in dynamic situations.
#3 Helps in Trauma Recovery
If you were to remember all the details of a traumatic experience from the past, it would be difficult to let that memory go. But if you forget some painful details, it will obviously have less impact on your life. This is because it’s no longer stored in your conscious mind.
Moreover, it can also be helpful in cases of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Forgetting allows individuals to refocus their attention on other aspects of their lives instead of dwelling on the traumatic experiences.
Thus, forgetting is one of the necessary steps in recovery from any kind of trauma or PTSD.
However, remember that forgetting some details of trauma is different from the suspected signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults. Forgetting can happen due to dissociation or denial, but repressed memory has no substantial backing as such.
#4. Considered to Be Ethical
Beyond its benefit in memorizing and coping with trauma, memory can also be related to ethical activities.
Many of us are aware that having unfair thoughts can have negative effects on the brain if they continue to wander around in your head. Beyond this, and, more importantly, it can have a negative impact on behavior.
For example, you may become frustrated easily in such a situation. Some triggering thoughts can also give rise to exaggerated emotional responses or anger.
However, this won’t happen if you don’t remember the complete details of the circumstances that give rise to these thoughts.
Forgetting creates a new you, a new you that is not affected by the past and all the negative experiences. This can very well prevent you from taking bad or unethical actions, in the heat of the moment, that you might regret later.
All in all, forgetting can help us move on from these experiences and focus on the positive aspects of our lives.
Conclusion
Whether you forget where you put your things or you forget someone’s name, forgetting is actually a good thing for your brain and memory retention of new information.
In this blog post, we explored why we forget things and how forgetting can actually help us remember better.
To conclude, forgetting is essential for mental health. It allows us to heal from past traumas and move on with our life to better things.
Additionally, forgetting is an important part of the memorization process; without it, you would never be able to store new memories.
It helps stay away from irrelevant details. Not to mention, you’ll have an opportunity to unlearn learned behaviors and patterns to move to something better and more useful.
So, next time you find yourself forgetting a few things, don’t worry! It may help you heal from your past trauma, pains, and regrets, and move on with your life.
Hopefully, this was an insightful read for you. I would love to know what you think and if I should add any more information to this blog post. Please offer your comments down below.
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