Scientist Develping Pill To Erase Memories

I ran an ATS search on this subject matter and found a thread with similar info. If I am merely repeating, please forgive me.. But I believe this a more recent article with more info on the experiments, so I'd like to see this as a follow up - part 2 to the previous thread if you will

Scientists have discovered a drug that could erase fearful memories in humans.

The method, using existing blood pressure pills, could be useful for weakening or erasing bad memories in people with post-traumatic stress disorder, the researchers say.

View full article here


I think it is a pretty dangerous concept. Yes, it could potentially cure PTSD and help people with certain anxieties, but in the wrong hands... well it just wouldn't be good. Imagine a rape victim being fed a pill that erases the event from their memory. Rapist runs free to repeat the crime. A witness to a murder/burglary/various other crimes - memories erased of the said crime = criminal runs free.

Kind of scary to think about...

reply to post by deanGI5

Unfortunately, other research has shown, bad memories stick better than good ones.

Old technology, though it has gone by a few different names, the "bender", the "night on the town", "getting hammered". etc ....

Suppressing "bad memories" by depression drugs, has never seemed to cure people in the long run. Similarly I'd see the same thing with this type of pill. I also feel it would be used not only to suppress things that should be dealt with in a natural way but opens up potential for abuse. See Rohypnol: date rape drug.

While bad memories are part of what make us who we are, there are traumatic things in peoples lives that they would be much better off not remembering. So I guess I'm torn on this subject.

This, as most things, would probably end up being used against us instead of for us though.

wasn't this the premise of "eternal sunshine of a spotless mind"? i'm not sure that ended up well for those involved.

good sci-fi often has a prophetic quality to it. Michel Gondry's work is no exception.

HOLY SNIP!

This is Awesome!

I'd love to be able to forget about ever being married to my ex-wife!

Sign me up for the clinical trials!

reply to post by mythos


Yeah, exactly. Great film. Definitely brings about the poignant double-edged sword of memory-erasing. Although I feel the film was based quite a bit on fate and how it is beyond our control.

This would end up being one of those things that sounds like it could do good but in the end becomes greatly abused.

reply to post by Saya13

This would end up being one of those things that sounds like it could do good but in the end becomes greatly abused.

Agreed. But isn't that the case with most pharmaceuticals? Why wouldn't they go ahead and throw another up on the list

Originally posted by mythos
wasn't this the premise of "eternal sunshine of a spotless mind"? i'm not sure that ended up well for those involved.

good sci-fi often has a prophetic quality to it. Michel Gondry's work is no exception.

I was just thinking the exact same thing. That movie was way underrated. If you haven't seen it, rent it. I was totally surprised how good it was.

Originally posted by deanGI5
reply to post by Saya13

 

This would end up being one of those things that sounds like it could do good but in the end becomes greatly abused.

Agreed. But isn't that the case with most pharmaceuticals? Why wouldn't they go ahead and throw another up on the list

Very true, but just because its already happening does not mean that it should continue to.

Originally posted by deanGI5

I think it is a pretty dangerous concept. Yes, it could potentially cure PTSD and help people with certain anxieties, but in the wrong hands... well it just wouldn't be good. Imagine a rape victim being fed a pill that erases the event from their memory. Rapist runs free to repeat the crime. A witness to a murder/burglary/various other crimes - memories erased of the said crime = criminal runs free.

Kind of scary to think about...

Yet, I know of many patients with PTSD who relate that it was their inability to stop the violence of the other however hard they tried to do so, which is one of the hardest memories to live with. Having the memory of it intrude upon your thoughts for the rest of ones life is without purpose.

So, sure, remember the event for justice's sake, but after justice has either dealt with it or indicated that it will not or cannot, then purging the memory is the dream of most persons with PTSD.