Is New Drug the Cure for Bad Memories, or Media Hype?

A study has found that a beta-blocker may lessen the negative emotions associated with bad memories.

[salad mcTuesday]

Negative emotions are a bad thing. That's how we know not to do those things again that caused the bad emotions in the first place.

[BALD]

Whoa, trippy. This reminds me of Total Recall. Get to the choppa!

[Robin]

Therapy is a better option

[simba]

i say it's hype. because that's what the media does.

[Carl]

We are formed and defined by our memories, good and bad. To erase either would be erasing a part of who we are. Boo.

[Janet]

Keep your bad memories and learn from them. Otherwise, what's the point of doing anything in life that involves risk?

[Skeptic Tank]

I find that most new drugs are more hype than substance, because the marketing brigades of the drugmakers are so sophistocated and well funded that the naysayers don't stand a chance.

[Glenda Wilson]

I was on beta-blockers to treat familiar tremors from 1978 -1986. During that time, it seemed that I was a different person -practically fearless. I started a newspaper without knowing anything about it and sold all the ads to boot. Once I quit taking them, I could not do sales. I now know that beta-blockers are also administered to prevent stage fright.

I now hardly have any of my memories and don't remember if I ever had them. I cannot remember the obvious traumatic effects of several abusive relationships, but then I cannot remember raising my children (which is sad) or details of other relationships that I have had during or before that time. I cannot remember my childhood either. There is no other explanation for the memory loss.

I was told they are not addictive, but that was not true. When doctors switched dosage to long acting I have severe –almost psychotic side effects to the point I had to be hospitalized and weaned off of them.

[Trent]

I'd rather just watch movies about this stuff than see it occur in real life...

[Maureen]

I agree it seems like lots of hype.

[Dan]

If the drugs are good enough, they'll probably evoke great feelings.

[twogun]

I use this for high blood pressure at night. It takes away the EXAGGERATED feelings from bad memories. The memory exists, but the overwhelmingness does not. It doesn't make one forget anything, but may bother short term memory. And, it's just my opinion from my experience.

I also don't think pictures of spiders are an appropriate gauge for testing this...it seems ridiculous to me.

Nowdays, people can get grants for almost anything and have to come up with end results to get the money. They are re-inventing the wheel with some of these studies.