To Pluck a Rooted Sorrow

Erasing painful memories and overcoming panic attacks / PTSD is a very attractive aspect of psychotherapy using NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming.

Modern neuro scientists and pyschiatrists/psychotherapists should validate the use of NLP in these disorders in peer reviewed scientific journals.

The primary advantage of NLP is that NO DRUGS are involved.

While scientists work on discovering the physiology of memory consolidation, it is important for individuals with PTSD to know that there are effective treatments, that in some instances are less painful emotionally than the trial treatment (exposure plus propranolol) described in the article. The clarity of research findings on PTSD treatment has been hindered by differences among subject groups (e.g., individuals with single-incident PTSD and no previous mental health conditions vs. individuals with complex PTSD and previous or concurrent mental health or substance abuse conditions); small sample size; and subtle but potentially meaningful differences in how the therapies are conducted and in how the techniques are used, among others. The journal Traumatology (August 2000, volume VI, issue 2) has a review article by Dietrich that discusses one such technique, Visual/Kinesthetic Dissociation, that has several variations, all of which involve reviewing a memory visually without reliving it emotionally--a strategy very consistent with the track of the research described in the Newsweek article. The National VA website has information about PTSD treatment and references another kind of specialized treatment, EMDR, about which there has been some controversy in regard to whether its specialized techniques add anything beyond the exposure foundation. One simple hypothesis is that the visual and tactile elements serve as "grounding techniques" to allow the individual to revisit aspects of the memory without reliving it--again, consistent with the evolving physiological research referenced in the article. There is a large and growing literature on PTSD treatment. As the basic science continues to evolve, therapeutic help can be obtained.

Despite pop culture's attempt at rendering this glorious scientific exploration humorous and shallow, this idea astounds me. I've been following this for a while.

despite pop culture's attempt at rendering this glorious scientific exploration humorous and shallow, this idea absolutely astounds me. I've been following it for a while now.

Interesting, I wonder if this why people forget when they get older and when they have alzheimer. If the part of the brain that is suppost to store the memory again doesn't do it effectively. So the memory seems to be lost, but it is just jumbled.

Every time I see another 'Will Smith' movie on television, ad nauseam, I certainly want to forget. Got a pill?

Excellent theory, and well worth exploring. To be able to retain te memory without a meltdown would help a whole lot of people. I have (jokingly)asked for this to be possible many times.