Autobiographical memory and its meaning in selected mental disorders

Abstract

This paper presents the general characteristics of the phenomenon of autobiographical memory (AM), the current knowledge of the subject and describes hitherto identified distortions of AM in mental disorders.AM is the part of memory concerning the personal past of an individual. It includes episodic and semantic memories associated with an identity. It affects an activity and structuring of goals, it is set in human experience and emotions and it helps in creating plans. The evolutionary sig-nificance of AM is probably to facilitate short-term goal-oriented behaviors by comparing them with the previous ones. People with AM disorders often have difficulties in social functioning.The disorders of emotional life and affect, which are present in most psychiatric disorders, deform AM. It was confirmed, inter alia, in post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, autism, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependence syndrome. Overgeneral memories (the inability to recall memories that are fully filled with details) being typical of depression, and flashbacks (the involuntary recall of memories which are highly filled with visual-sensory content) being characteristic of PTSD are considered one of the most studied deficiency of AM. The study of AM potentially carries many cognitive and clinical implications. It may facilitate the prediction of the onset of a depressive episode in patients at risk; it can also help to develop psychotherapeutic techniques which are helpful in its treatment, which has in part already taken place. Few studies relate to neurofunctional changes in AM and they need a follow-up.

Neurotic symptoms profile in a day hospital patients with an anamnesis of head injury in the past

“…A well-known phenomenon is also the greater cognitive availability of elements whose affective content is consistent with the current emotional state. Therefore, patients seeking help in connection with a depressed mood more easily recall negative events [37]. The above dependencies may, therefore, mean that patients with neurotic disorders who have experienced even a minor head injury may remember it more explicitly and much longer than people without such disorders.…”

Phenomena related to autobiographical memory during initial consultations in couple psychotherapy

“…But I remember my geography teacher as friendly, so this person will probably replace the physics teacher in my memory of this event. Coherence of emotions in general is more important than precise facts (Maruszewski, 2008;Rybak-Korneluk et al, 2016). What is worse, similar inaccuracies also occur vis-á-vis with people we have close relationships with.…”

“…Therapy sessions usually involve both intentional and unconscious recall of emotionally significant memories. Typically, in a well-functioning relationship, such memories are inhibited in one's mind so that they do not interfere with one's daily functioning (Rybak-Korneluk et al, 2016).…”

Central Nervous System Model Theory- A Universal Model of all Neural Processes

“…People suffering from social anxiety have a bias to focus more on threatening details in any social event compared to normal people [23]. Cases suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder [24] suffer from flashbacks which are involuntary repeated memory retrievals. These memories are fragmented and disorganized, not full to make a whole scene.…”