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Memory suppression: Difference between revisions
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'''Memory suppression''' (also known as '''ego suppression''', '''ego loss''' or '''ego death''') can be described as an effect which directly inhibits a person's ability to maintain a functional short and long-term memory. This occurs in a manner that is directly proportional to the dosage consumed, and often begins with the degradation of one's short-term memory. | '''Memory suppression''' (also known as '''ego suppression''', '''ego loss''' or '''ego death''') can be described as an effect which directly inhibits a person's ability to maintain a functional short and long-term memory.<ref name="Lebedev2015">Lebedev, A. V., Lövdén, M., Rosenthal, G., Feilding, A., Nutt, D. J., & Carhart‐Harris, R. L. (2015). Finding the self by losing the self: Neural correlates of ego‐dissolution under psilocybin. Human brain mapping, 36(8), 3137-3153. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22833</ref> This occurs in a manner that is directly proportional to the dosage consumed, and often begins with the degradation of one's short-term memory. | ||
Memory suppression is a process which may be broken down into the 4 basic levels described below: | Memory suppression is a process which may be broken down into the 4 basic levels described below: | ||
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===Ego death=== | ===Ego death=== | ||
The most significant aspect of complete long-term memory suppression (level 4) is the way in which it suppresses the ability to recall and comprehend conceptual information associated with one's sense of self-hood and identity. The experience of this is colloquially known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death ego death] and its occurrence is well documented throughout the modern [[psychonaut]] subculture. However, it is worth noting that this informal term of "ego death" or "ego dissolution" is also commonly used to refer to states of high level [[unity and interconnectedness]].<ref>Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) | https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/dc02/7f050270016bba942fa1c15e1eb4ab81bb70.pdf</ref><ref>Ego Death & Psychedelics By John Harrison, Psy.D. (MAPS Bulletin) | https://www.maps.org/news-letters/v20n1/v20n1-40to41.pdf</ref> | The most significant aspect of complete long-term memory suppression (level 4) is the way in which it suppresses the ability to recall and comprehend conceptual information associated with one's sense of self-hood and identity. The experience of this is colloquially known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death ego death] and its occurrence is well documented throughout the modern [[psychonaut]] subculture. However, it is worth noting that this informal term of "ego death" or "ego dissolution" is also commonly used to refer to states of high level [[unity and interconnectedness]].<ref name="Lebedev2015"/><ref>Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) | https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/dc02/7f050270016bba942fa1c15e1eb4ab81bb70.pdf</ref><ref>Ego Death & Psychedelics By John Harrison, Psy.D. (MAPS Bulletin) | https://www.maps.org/news-letters/v20n1/v20n1-40to41.pdf</ref> | ||
Complete memory suppression can result in the profound experience that despite remaining fully conscious, there is no longer an “I” experiencing one's sensory input; there is just the sensory input as it is and by itself. This suppresses the otherwise nearly constant sensation in waking life of being a separate observer interacting with an external world. Although ego death does not necessarily shut down awareness of all mental processes, it does remove the feeling of being the thinker or cause of one's mental processes. It often results in the feeling of processing concepts from a neutral perspective completely untainted by past memories, prior experiences, contexts, and biases. | Complete memory suppression can result in the profound experience that despite remaining fully conscious, there is no longer an “I” experiencing one's sensory input; there is just the sensory input as it is and by itself. This suppresses the otherwise nearly constant sensation in waking life of being a separate observer interacting with an external world. Although ego death does not necessarily shut down awareness of all mental processes, it does remove the feeling of being the thinker or cause of one's mental processes. It often results in the feeling of processing concepts from a neutral perspective completely untainted by past memories, prior experiences, contexts, and biases. | ||
Ego death often synergizes with other coinciding effects such as [[personal bias suppression]], [[unity and interconnectedness]], [[spirituality enhancement]], and [[delusions]]. These accompanying effects further elevate the subjective intensity and transpersonal significance of ego death experiences.</onlyinclude> | Ego death often synergizes with other coinciding effects such as [[personal bias suppression]], [[unity and interconnectedness]], [[spirituality enhancement]], and [[delusions]].<ref name="Lebedev2015"/> These accompanying effects further elevate the subjective intensity and transpersonal significance of ego death experiences.</onlyinclude> | ||
===Psychoactive substances=== | ===Psychoactive substances=== | ||