Creating False Memories

By Chantay Stanley, LCSWA

Studies indicate that those with a specific type of anxiety are likely to create false memories, that is those individuals with attachment anxiety. Attachment anxiety is the need to be close to a spouse but never feeling close to the spouse which causes a feeling of rejection or abandonment. They are likely to not remember a conversation in depth depending on who they are having a conversation with. It is more likely that individuals with attachment anxiety will create false memories from having an in-person conversation with an individual than just having the conversation on the telephone or reading the information. The way that our brain works it does not create memories of the entire conversation but does create memories for portions of conversations that are related. This method can cause problems.

Creating false memories also occurs with those that have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Unwelcomed thoughts and obsessions that lead to repetitive behaviors is OCD. Individuals with OCD create more false memories than those that do not have OCD. The individuals diagnosed with OCD do not trust that their memories are accurate. Those unwelcomed thoughts can cause individuals with OCD to attempt to differentiate if the thought is a new idea or if it is related to a memory. Exposure and Response Therapy (ERP) can assist in finding the root cause of the obsessions and compulsions as exposure to an individual’s fears is the best way to treat OCD.

If you are experiencing false memories, anxiety, OCD or any other symptom of a mental illness please contact our office and set up an appointment to see one of our trained therapists.