Forgetting and emotion regulation in mental health, anxiety and depression

ABSTRACT

Does normal forgetting facilitate mental health and is forgetting impaired in affective disorders? This double-sided question may seem counterintuitive given the fact that forgetting is often associated with troubles in everyday life. However, forgetting does not only have destructive consequences, but also fulfils important functions. I consider the possibility that forgetting may function as a beneficial sorting mechanism which helps healthy people discard information that is undesirable and unpleasant. Thus, selective forgetting of negative memories may be part of emotion regulation, that is, people’s attempts to control when and how they experience and express emotions. Such forgetting may allow for a focus on positive memories and thereby help form a mnemonic basis for optimism as well as active and explorative approach behaviour. Also, I consider the possibility that anxiety and depression may in part result from and be maintained by a diminished capacity to forget. A reduced ability to selectively forget negative memories may be one reason that such disorders are characterised by painful emotions such as fear and sadness as well as defensive and withdrawn behaviour. Overall, I review and reflect on evidence for and against functional forgetting in mental health and dysfunctional forgetting in affective disorders.

KEYWORDS:

• Forgetting
• emotion regulation
• mental health
• anxiety
• depression

Acknowledgements

I thank Almut Hupbach, Justin C. Hulbert and one anonymous reviewer for their insightful and very constructive suggestions. I also thank Ashley Pearcy, Christina Labohn Bleeg and Johannes Lang for help with proofreading the drafts of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.