A VISION FROM THE PAST.

[Grumpy Cat]

I was busy tonight studying for a test and when I was highlighting my notes all of a sudden out of the blue came a thought of a memory of something that happened to me when I was 12 yrs old. Nothing traumatic - just a memory of me playing outside with my friend I had had at that time. I have had this happen before and not at any specific time. I remember being put on this one drug once (I can't remember which one) but I would have a memory pop up and it was so real it was like I was reliving that memory in sights and smells. The therapist took me off of that drug. What happened tonight is similar, just not as vivid and no smells. I'm thinking this happens because of a certain chemical in the brain. Does anyone have an explanation of why I would all of a sudden get a vision of a past memory with no real link to my life now? Does anyone else have this happen?

 

[Harrison]

Yep, quite often.

As your studying here's a nice paper on the subject of cognitive associations

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627301001994

 

[Vinca]

Yer, it happens to me quite often. I think it happens more often if I've not been geting enough sleep but apart that I don't have any insight into what might cause it.

 

[tree]

"... it was so real it was like I was reliving that memory in sights and smells. Does anyone have an explanation of why I would all of a sudden get a vision of a past memory with no real link to my life now? Does anyone else have this happen?

I don't get the part of how the memory had 'no real link to' your life now.

You might be able to establish some meaning to it for yourself by going through it in a Gestalt way.
Asking yourself about each individual element in the picture. "How am I the little girl I once was? How am I the friend?
How am I the (just for examples because I don't know what you smelled or felt) lemon cookies? In what way am I a crisp clean tablecloth? How am I the game?...etc.

'How am I' is short for 'In what way do I resemble/act the part of...'
Using this process has helped me understand some of my thoughts and make sense of dreams I have had when I was asleep.

 

[royinpink]

Wait, is this a memory that you had not thought of since it happened or didn't know you had? Because if so, my answer would be no, that never happens to me.

On the other hand, if it's a memory that you knew you had, it just randomly popped up when you weren't really thinking of it, then sure, all the time.

 

[Kari Suttle]

I'll answer with something that happened to me just tonight. I was insanely excited cause i stumbled upon pokemon music on youtube (from the original season 1 anime and the games) and was obsessively making a playlist full of my favorites and getting waaaaay too excited about the songs and all the childhood memories associated with them...when i suddenly remembered something totally unrelated that someone said to me at work this weekend that really bummed me out at the time, and did once more the moment i suddenly remembered it. I guess what im saying is yeah it happens but no i have no clue why.