You Can’t ‘Erase’ Bad Memories, but You Can Cope With Them

Facing our fears can allow us to gain relief from the stress and anxiety they cause us

Deep fears often begin with a bad memory. Facing that fear can help erase that memory, but it isn't easy. Pixabay

The film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind pitched an interesting premise: what if we could erase unwanted memories that lead to sadness, despair, depression, or anxiety? Might this someday be possible, and do we know enough about how distressing memories are formed, stored, and retrieved to make such a therapy possible?

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a common treatment for anxiety disorders. The basic idea of CBT is to change the fear-eliciting thoughts that underlie a client’s anxiety.