New med coming out

[The People]

There are working on a new med that supposedly wipes out trauma memories. I think soldiers get the first go at it. Would you take it if given the opportunity. I know a lot of questions would have to be answered. Like would it take away trigger reactions along with the memories? Like for example, certain smells caused panic attacks even before I knew what a panic attack was.

I wold really have to think about it and follow people to see how well it was working. But there are some things I would really like to forget.

[nats]

would be useless for us. we already have the triggers and the misery without the memories..

[The People]

That is what I am wondering. If those things would go away. Plus I would worry about my others going off. Not something I would want to happen.

[MakersDozn]

We're a little bit skeptical about how useful such a med would be, even if it did what it claims to do. Memories (or any element of our life history) don't exist in a vacuum. The trauma affects other aspects of our life even if we don't notice it directly.

Also, if memories were wiped out, the "empty space" in our psyche would have to be filled with something else. What would this be? Artificial good memories? Additional trauma caused by the disappearance of trauma that needs to heal?

People new to understanding their multiplicity sometimes ask if they can "get rid of" a troublesome system member. We tell them we don't think this is possible, because such an individual is part of the total self and serves an important purpose in the whole, even if that purpose is outdated and needs to change for the better.

Likewise, for the health of the system, trauma needs to be resolved in some fashion--not necessarily by digging for memories, but by processing the feelings and the pain that are present. We are who we are because of where we've been and what we've gone through. Tampering with the healing process may cause more harm than good, we think.

Great topic. Thanks for posting it.

MDs

[nats]

very eloquent MDs.

[FreyasSpirit]

Very nicely put MD.

Our trauma is part of us. We would no longer be us if our trauma was removed. What would happen to all the knowledge and understanding we have gained in processing our trauma? Through dissociation, we already tried forgetting and it bought us time, but eventually the trauma bubbled back up. It would not surprise us if this med buried trauma for a decade, but eventually it started coming up again. We would not believe it actually worked until there were decades of data showing that the trauma never reappeared despite science's best efforts to erase memories.

[MakersDozn]

Thanks, nats and FreyasSpirit.

MDs

[The People]

I am in my mid-fifties. Well the body is. We had our first alter come forward over 50 years ago. So I agree with you MD with regards to wondering what would they fill the spaces with? Endless rides on the merry go round? Going out for pizza with friends? We could end up like zombies with so many gaps in our memories. How would they fix that? Another pill? Stepford wives and husbands.

[finlyalive]

I agree with everyone. There are so many pros and cons. I have often wanted something to end the horrible flashbacks and memories. But, would it also take away the ones who take away the flashbacks and memories?

[Cammy]

Agreeing with Freya on this one...the trauma memories are not good, but take them away and what's left is not who I am. Although they are painful and have caused me to become multiple, I believe that I am more sensitive to other's pain and suffering because of my own trauma memories. No, I would not want to have my mind erased in this manner. Having said that, there may be extreme cases where the trauma memory is SO severe that the person is in a continual state of suicidal ideation and behaviour. This has happened, and in some instances they have used shock therapy to try and make the trauma memories become 'fuzzier' with the hope that lessening their clarity will calm the individual down a bit - at least enough to try and stop the attempts at self-destruction. I think that there may well be call for these drugs in extreme cases, but like everything, drug companies need to make money on their product and soon would be trying to encourage the use of this med for everyday disappointments. I can see the ads now: "Upset that you didn't get to go to prom with the date of your dreams? Don't suffer another moment, take MemoryWipe and wipe your tears away."

[MakersDozn]

Igraine said:

I can see the ads now: "Upset that you didn't get to go to prom with the date of your dreams? Don't suffer another moment, take MemoryWipe and wipe your tears away."

But wait! Get a second bottle free, and only pay separate postage and handling!



MDs

[MakersDozn]

FreyasSpirit said:

*Offer invalid if you don't remember our promise of a second bottle.

And with multiples, that's not an unlikely scenario.

About 10 or 15 years ago, we enrolled in a debt-consolidation program, before everyone was doing it. At the outset, the company promised us that if we paid the first six months in good standing, they would reduce our fees thereafter.

Well, six months came and went, and no fee reduction came. When we confronted them some time later, they said, "Well, you didn't follow up on the offer, so it's not valid any more."

But we digress. Needless to say, the world doesn't necessarily operate with our best interests in mind.

MDs