The reason why the brain for years reminds us of awkward situations

Many people have faced unexpected memories of their own mistakes that occurred many years ago. An unfortunate joke, a randomly said stupidity, or an unpleasant episode from school life can suddenly resurface and cause shame again. According to the publication Terra, psychologists explain this by the peculiarities of the brain, which especially well remembers events accompanied by strong emotions.

According to experts, unpleasant memories often occur involuntarily. They can be caused by a familiar smell, music, a random word or a similar situation. At the same time, the feeling of shame increases the so-called searchlight effect - the tendency of a person to exaggerate the attention of others to their mistakes. It seems to us that everyone has remembered our embarrassing act, although in fact most people may not have even attached any importance to it.

The situation is aggravated when a person begins to endlessly replay what happened in his head, imagining that he could have said or done otherwise. In psychology, this phenomenon is called rumination. Constant return to negative thoughts increases emotional discomfort, and in some cases can be accompanied by anxiety and depressed mood.

To get rid of the painful feeling of shame, experts advise not to try to forcefully forget an unpleasant episode, but to learn to perceive it calmer. It’s helpful to remind ourselves that one mistake doesn’t define a person, and others tend to pay less attention to other people’s mistakes than we think. If memories become intrusive, interfere with sleep or lead a familiar life, it is recommended to consult a psychologist.

Named effective ways to cope with the New Year stress.

I wonder why I want to sleep in the afternoon.

Reliable news is always at hand - in the channel MK in "MAX".