New Drug Helps to Dampen Bad Memories

wile_e_wonka writes to tell us Researchers at Harvard and the Montreal-based McGill University are working on a drug that would allow psychiatrists to dampen painful memories in their patients when combined with therapy. "They treated 19 accident or rape victims for ten days, during which the patients were asked to describe their memories of the traumatic event that had happened 10 years earlier. Some patients were given the drug, which is also used to treat amnesia, while others were given a placebo. A week later, they found that patients given the drug showed fewer signs of stress when recalling their trauma."

Comments

this just seems like a bad idea

[jt418-93]

it's important to remember the bad times, so you don't end up there again. something about those who can't remember history repeating it.....

You're not going to get very many good comments...

[Himuanam]

The most traumatic thing most of Slashdot has experienced is having their parents turn off their internet connection, come on, all we're going to get is comments about alcohol or how we're becoming a drug-obsessed culture. Experience something *really* traumatic or know someone who has, and you'll see the benefit of research like this.

Right...

[p3d0]

it's important to remember the bad times, so you don't end up there again. something about those who can't remember history repeating it..... Yeah, those rape victims really should try harder next time not to get raped.