Memory is a fundamental tool of the human being, but, nevertheless, when A person is trapped in constant memories From the past, it can become a source of emotional suffering and psychiatric disorders.
The causes of this fixation are multiple and complex. They can be traumatic experiences, certain personality features, thought styles, or previous psychological conditions.
Who suffered a traumatic fact (abuse, violence, accidents or serious losses) And he fails to “process it” properly, that event invades his mind again and again.
Another common cause is depression, which induces rumiar on past events, especially those that are considered failures, losses or errors. Rumiation is not productive nor leads to a resolution but simply deepens sadness and reinforces a negative vision of the self and the world.
In certain types of obsessive-compulsive disorder (TOC), some people develop Obsessive thoughts On things they said or did a long time ago, in case they acted badly or damaged someone.
Personality disorders can also contribute to living tied to the past, since many times the person builds a rigid narrative about himself (“I was rejected in childhood”, “they betrayed me”) that prevents A flexible vision of the present and the future.
Living mentally in the past affects emotional health, the ability to relate, decision making and the sense of purpose. One of the most common consequences is persistent anxiety Since, although the event is no longer happening, the body and mind react as if it were real and present. This generates physical symptoms (tachycardia, insomnia, muscle tension) and a constant alert state.
The inability to enjoy the present (Anhedonia) is inevitable since they are disconnected from here and now, with repercussions on personal relationshipswork or small daily pleasures.
When someone is defined only by their past, they lose the ability to evolve. The Personal narrative He freezes (“I am like that because my father abandoned me” or “I will never be happy because I lost an exceptional job”) and become absolute truths that prevent the connection with the present.
Living mentally in the past affects emotional health. One of the most common causes is persistent anxiety.
These people usually become more isolated, retracted or distrustful and Relive painful eventsThey can develop a pessimistic look on the world.
The past also includes the experiences that lead to the “here and now”, as a suitcase full of
happy and sad memories, of Good and bad decisionsof people who were present and are no longer, among other experiences.
San Agustín (354-430) claimed that in reality the only time was the present, but that this present contains “a present of The past thingsa present of the present things and a present of future things ”, thus pointing out that the individual remains in a constant and inevitable relationship with time and his history.
But as someone said: “Living in the past is to choose not to be in the present and refuse The possibility of enjoying of a better future ”.
From psychiatry and psychology it is possible to overcome and rebuild the relationship with the past.