Blocking memories of drinking behavior reduces risk of relapse
In a study published last year in Nature Neuroscience, researchers showed that interrupting memories in alcoholic rats led the rats to be less likely to relapse in the future. Rats became problem drinkers after spending 2 months exposed to a choice between water or a water-alcohol mixture. After taking the alcohol away from the rats for 10 days, the researchers gave them a drop of the alcohol mixture to jog their memories. Then half of the rats were treated with a drug called rapamycin. Rapamycin inhibits the activity of a special compound that is important for memory consolidation and retrieval. The rats given the rapamycin were less likely to desire alcohol over the next 2 week period.
Read the whole article here.
What do you think? Is addiction a memory, like the researchers argue? What are the implications of such a drug in humans? Is “erasing” memories safe?
Blocking memories did not help for myself – we see we are not alone as many in recovery has chose to “face and be rid of what blocks us from the Sunlight of the Spirit” Learning the process of admission of powerlessness yet begin believing in the vision of being gifted hope, perception shifts gratitude enters. Inventory of what brings on the activity to use/drink is removed and journey is less challenging* We believe that addiction once happened- the experience and care of self worth determines rather to drink or use another time….. memory perhaps is part yet for recovery from we need to have self worth self esteem gradually improving having purpose in our journey* This has been my observation. Erasing memories would be a process in the vision of recovery for the individual to do….not medically. Everyone has the opportunity to choose…..we believe even those that perhaps are constitutionally incapable do recovery as their honesty improves*