Confabulation Definition, Examples, and Treatments

Confabulation Definition, Examples, and Treatments Theories Cognitive Psychology Print What Is Confabulation? By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on December 26, 2018 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 16, 2019 More in Theories Cognitive Psychology Behavioral Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology In This Article Table of Contents Expand Causes Signs and Symptoms Types Treatments View All Back To Top Confabulation is a type of memory error in which gaps in memory are unconsciously filled with fabricated, misinterpreted, or distorted information. In these instances, the individual may confuse imaginings with real memories. While there is no conscious or intentional attempt to deceive, the person is quite confident of the truth of these memories, even when confronted with contradictory evidence. Causes Confabulation is often the result of brain disease or damage. Some of the conditions that are linked to confabulation include memory disorders, brain injuries, and certain psychiatric conditions. There are several associated psychological and neurological conditions: Wernicke-Korsakoffs syndrome is a neurological disorder often caused by chronic alcoholism that results in severe thiamine deficiency.Alzheimers disease  is a form of dementia that is associated with memory loss, loss of cognitive abilities, language problems, and other issues.Traumatic brain injury  is damage to certain regions of the brain and has been linked to the emergence of confabulated memories. Some studies have shown that people with damage to the inferior medial frontal lobe are more likely to confabulate than people with either no injury or injury to other areas of the brain.Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is marked by difficulty with understanding reality and abnormal behavior. Confabulation is sometimes seen in individuals with schizophrenia, often in patients who are experiencing delusions. Explanations What explains confabulation? There are a number of different theories, but some research suggests that two factors play an important role in certain instances of this memory disruption. Overlearning may result in some types of information being at the forefront of a persons mind. Since this information tends to loom large in a persons memory, it also tends to crowd out other details. When gaps in memory take place, the overlearned information may dominate and force out more specific facts and memories. This can lead to memory distortions and other inaccuracies.Poor encoding may result in information not being fully stored in long-term memory in the first place. For example, a person might become distracted during an event and not really be paying attention to the details. Since the information is not fully encoded into memory, the person is more susceptible to forgetting and other memory problems. Signs and Symptoms There are several common characteristics of confabulation. There is a lack of awareness that a memory is false or distorted. When errors are pointed out, the patient is unconcerned about the apparent unreality of his or her account.There is no attempt to deceive or lie. There is no hidden motivation for the patient to misremember the information.The story is usually drawn from the patients memory. The basis for the misremembered information usually is founded in past or current experiences and thoughts of the patient.The story can be either very probable or very improbable. The story might be completely coherent and plausible, whereas other stories may be highly incoherent and unrealistic. Types Confabulations are categorized into two different types: provoked and spontaneous. Provoked confabulations occur when a patient creates an untrue story in response to a specific question. This type of confabulation is the most common and often occurs in patients with dementia or amnesia.Spontaneous confabulations occur when a patient tells a fabricated story without any obvious motivation or provocation. This type of confabulation tends to be less common. Examples It is important to note that confabulation is not the same as lying. Lying involves presenting information with the intent to fool or manipulate others; those who confabulate are not doing so with the purpose of deceiving. While confabulation involves presenting false information, the people who are doing so believe that what they are remembering is true. For example, a person experiencing symptoms of dementia may be able to clearly describe the last time she met with her doctor, even if the scenarios she depicts never actually happened.  A person with memory problems might not be able to remember exactly how she met a person. When asked, however, she might confabulate a story to explain the occasion on which she first met the individual. Another example of confabulation can occur when a person who has gaps in his memory is asked to remember and describe details of a past event. Instead of simply replying that he does not know, his mind will fill in the missing details with confabulated memories of the event. Confabulated memories can sometimes be quite elaborate and detailed. Schizophrenic patients who are experiencing delusions, for example, may confabulate memories that become increasingly fantastical and intricate the more they are questioned about them. In other cases, such memories can be very small and mundane. For example, a patient may not be able to remember exactly how he got a small bruise on his arm but may fabricate or misremember a story to explain how the injury occurred. Treatments Research suggests that confabulation may be difficult to treat. The recommended approach to treatment may depend upon the underlying cause associated with the problem if it is possible to identify the source. In patients with dementia, for example, arguing with the patient over the validity of their memories would serve little purpose. Rather than try to refute these memories, it is often simply better to offer acceptance and support. In other instances, confabulation can be addressed with psychotherapeutic and cognitive-behavioral treatments. These approaches usually focus on helping patients become more aware of their memory inaccuracies. Cognitive approaches that encourage patients to question what they do and do not remember can sometimes be helpful. Patients are encouraged to simply respond that they do not know something or that they are not sure rather than confabulating a response. One study found support for a neuropsychological treatment for confabulations. The treatment involved engaging participants in a memory task and then showing them their incorrect responses. When showing participants their errors, they were also given specific instructions to pay closer attention to the material and to think about their answers before responding. The results indicated that this approach was effective at reducing confabulations and that the effects generalized to other areas post-treatment. A Word From Verywell Family members and friends of people who are prone to confabulation may become frustrated or distressed because at times it may seem like their loved one is lying. Understanding that confabulation is not an attempt to deceive can sometimes make it easier to cope. While confabulation can be confusing or frustrating, it may also help people with memory disruptions cope with their current reality. Gaps in memory can be difficult and even frightening for people who experience them, so confabulated memories are one way that the mind might try to make sense of the world. If you are concerned that a loved one may be showing signs of confabulation, consider talking to a mental health professional to learn more about how you can deal with this situation. Its Not Always Alzheimers: What Causes Memory Loss

Eating, Bipolar and Anxiety Disorders - 1145 Words

In 2010, eating disorders had a reported 7,000 deaths each year. Not only this, but 3%-5% of children under the age of 18 have an anxiety disorder. Also 15% of all bipolar disorder patients have committed suicide. Eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorders are all prevalent today throughout all ages. Even middle schoolers. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are abnormal eating habits that usually involve eating too little or too much food to the harmful point of both physical and mental health. Most commonly heard is anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is the extreme restriction of food to a point of extreme weight loss and self-starvation. This eating disorder has two subtypes. The binge/purge type†¦show more content†¦Homosexual men are also at a greater risk, as they may want a partner who is either more muscular or thinner, and this may lead to certain eating disorders. Some symptoms of an eating disorder may include weakness, weight loss, sensitivity to the cold, failure in growth, or unexplained hoarseness (which would be a result of acid reflux). A study taken by the Public Health Agency of Canada found that 1/2 girls and 1/5 boys in their Sophmore year of high school wanted to lose weight or were on a diet. In adolescent boys, eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness, and an estimated 3% of men will be affected by an eating disorder in their whole lifetime. An increase of 34% of hospitalizations for eating disorders in general hospitals since 1987 was found for young men under 15 years and an increase of 29% for men between 15-24 years old. Those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender were found to have about twice the rate of eating disorders national average for women and 3.5 times higher for men. In a 2014 report found in Salon, an estimated 42% of men with an eating disorder were identified as gay/bisexual. It was found in 2005 that 75-80% of female adolescents with access to treatment recover from an eating disorder, but less than half of males do. It was also found that up to 20% of those suffering from an eating disorder dieShow MoreRelatedMental Illness, Schizophrenia, And Eating Disorders1380 Words   |  6 Pageshave a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. (What is Mental Illness? n.d.). The overall stigma that comes along with a mental disorder is still one of the biggest barriers that prevents those from obtaining treatment or retaining their treatment. â€Å"While there are over 200 classified forms of mental illness, the five (5) major categories of mental illness are: Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychotic Disorders, Dementias, and Eating Disorders.† (What is Mental IllnessRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Bipolar Depression1376 Words   |  6 Pagessince the accident can cause a great amount of worry, depression, and anxiety. 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Though there is the following statement â€Å"the recognition that many individuals

Analysis Of Dante s The Inferno - 1286 Words

Dante Alighieri endured immeasurable adversity throughout his life when he began composing the Inferno. Affliction arose at a young age when Dante’s mother passed. Soon after, Dante met Beatrice and fell in love, yet a formal marriage contract with Gemma Donati prohibited Dante from pursuing Beatrice. In his early literary studies Dante met Guido Cavalcanti, his best friend, and Brunetto Latini, his mentor, and saturated himself with love poems centralizing Beatrice. At the age of eighteen Dante buried his father, and a few years later fought in the Battle of Campaldino. As a fervid patriarch of Florence, Dante became active in the life of politics as a White Guelf. While faithfully serving his city, Dante’s long lost love (Beatrice 1290), mentor (Brunetto Latini 1294), and friend (Guido Cavalcanti 1300) had perished. Subsequently, Pope Boniface VIII and the Black Guelfs drove the White Guelfs out of Florence in 1302, while Dante too was exiled, his belongings were conf iscated. â€Å"His wife did not follow Dante into exile in 1302, probably because her family ties to Florence were so strong,† (Forman 3). Submerged in solitude, it was essential for Dante to deeply examine his experiences, beliefs, and life. Understandably, as a literary scholar Dante used poetic documentation to understand, accept, and forgive himself and others. Dante’s readers find an overabundance of personal experiences throughout the Inferno, and just as Dante used Virgil’s Aeneid and the Bible as counselShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Dante s Inferno, By Dante1219 Words   |  5 PagesMerriam-Webster dictionary, narrow is defined as â€Å"limited in extent, amount, or scope; restricted.† In Dante s Inferno, Virgil becomes Dante’s role model and leads Dante through the circles of Hell. 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Nancy Thuleen says this about it. â€Å"Dantes portrayal of Hell in the Inferno is an undisputed masterpiece of visual and allegorical imagery, enriched not only by extensive use of figurative language, but by concreteRead MoreAnalysis Of Dante Alighieri s Inferno 1556 Words   |  7 Pagesto do a literary analysis on is Inferno by Dante Alighieri. What was this book about and what message does this particular ancient poem aim to explain? This epic poem was w ritten in the fourteenth century and there were a lot of commentary involved in the story itself. Dante’s Inferno is widely seen as one of the greatest epics to ever grace textbooks. The text itself throughout this story speaks much to the concept of life and death and what the afterlife is like according to Dante and this is anRead MoreAnalysis Of Dante s Inferno ( Hell )1956 Words   |  8 PagesLisa Gambrell Armond Boudreaux ENGL 2111 22 November 2015 Dante’s Journey Dante’s Inferno (Hell) is the first book from The Divine Comedy. 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Medieval literature in general attempted to do this and Dante was no different with regard to this in his copying of Virgil and the Aeneid in their depictions of hell in pagan mythology. Analysis There are a host of specific examples from pagan mythology in the Inferno. For instance, in Canto 15, we see Dante leaving the

As people rely more and more on technology to solve Free Essays

Most of the Jobs that we have today were not known to our forefathers as early as the beginning of 20th century and they had this same equation with their forefathers going back another hundred years. What drives this changes ? And more Importantly what Impact does this evolution have on our lives ? The first question Is simple, It’s caused by the advent of a new technology, which phases out some Jobs whilst creating new ones going ahead, As for the latter question, let’s take a deeper look at this process of evolving technology and hen conclude It’s impact on our lives. By the middle of 19th century Industrial Revolution had transformed the face of USA. We will write a custom essay sample on As people rely more and more on technology to solve or any similar topic only for you Order Now Assembly line production, network of railroads, industrial farming methodologies, these were changing the way people did their work, gone were the days of farmers toiling under the sun to plough their fields, mechanized farm equipments took away that pain and the same farm that took tens of people to plough could now be done by lust one person trained to operate these new machines. This person had orientations from manual labor to more skilled work that utilized his cognitive abilities. The other farmers that got laid off too got to work in newer roles which supplemented the advent of these machines, factory workers, mechanics and such. These were all jobs that were more mentally taxing than physically making these former laborers a part of the new skilled workforce. Advances in computing and robotics brought about a similar shift in our lives around the middle of 20th century. We built smarter automated machines that allowed us to lid taller buildings and longer bridges and even space station, conduct medical procedures such as Mrs. and heart surgeries. The proliferation of Internet has created new avenues for learning and enabled us to spread education to the farthest corners of the world. In effect technology made our lives longer and more fruitful. In the 21 SST century we have ever Increased our reliance on technology to enable several aspects of our daily lives and supplement our efforts to solve ever bigger problems. The next big shift In our lives might be defined by quantum computing, emetic engineering, deep space exploration or something else but we shouldn’t be skeptical about the coming change. Today when we stand at the brink of another technological revolution, we should look back and realize how each age of humanity was defined by their technology and how central it has been to the evolution and betterment of our society. Fallacy. While there are several aspects of our daily lives that have become automated, the one thing that machines haven’t taken away from us is the ability to think What next? ‘, that is strictly the domain of the human mind. How to cite As people rely more and more on technology to solve, Essays

Transformations in A Midsummer Nights Dream free essay sample

This paper examines the recurring changes of the moon and the transformation of the characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream. This paper analyzes one of William Shakespeares most celebrated comedic plays, A Midsummer Nights Dream. The author examines how the throughout the play the characters attempt to find a way to understand the mechanism of love in a rational way and experience self-alterations that they believe to be a dream in the end. The paper also looks at how the recurring reference to the ever-changing moon parallels the transformation of the characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream. From the Paper: A Midsummer Nights Dream brilliantly expresses the profound human uncertainty about love. Dream world and reality merge undetectably so that the characters are not sure themselves in which sphere they move, nor whether what they have experienced has been imagination or truth. What seems to be a fantasy or a dream for the characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream is actually reality. We will write a custom essay sample on Transformations in A Midsummer Nights Dream or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, the dreamlike atmosphere of the play accentuates the fact that the lovers appear to be quite removed from any criteria applicable to reality.

what lies beneath essays

what lies beneath essays As showed in the title of Edith Whartons Roman Fever, Mrs. Ansley, one of the main characters of the story was driven by a kind of fever-her passion for Mr. Slade, and did something that is completely contrary to her proclaimed image. Still, she stuck to the old tradition and kept silent about the truth. Mrs. Ansley is described as somewhat reserved and quiet, regarded as typical woman of old New York(244)- conservative and prudent (251). However, when love is concerned, she lost her prudence and went without hesitation for the date with her friends fiance. For her, love can be above tradition for a certain degree but not totally, so she cared for that memory (254) with Mr. Slade even though it lasted only for one night and did not demand a marriage. Although Mrs. Slade constantly mentioned Roman fever to remind her of the past memories, she avoided talking more about it by seemly absorbed in her knitting or giving not much reply. In fact, as we found out at the end of the story that it is partly because she felt sorry for (256) Mrs. Slade as she thought that it was she who betrayed their friendship. Unlike Mrs. Slade who had rested upon a seemingly victory and unveiled the forgery in order to defeat her, she did not defend herself most of the time until Mrs. Slades crowing over is hardly tolerable. Though weaker in physical condition-smaller and paler (241) than Mrs. Slade who is an extremely dashing woman (246), Mrs. Ansley is presented mentally healthier and stronger than Mrs. Slade. The sentence that she began to move ahead of Mrs. Slade is not just a narration of the circumstance, but also a triumphant proclamation of her actual victory. ...

So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted!

So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! So Sorry to Hear That You Were Impacted! By Maeve Maddox Reader Ron Harper, Jr. wonders about the use of the word impacted: I used a word today and immediately questioned my use and the history of word over the last decade or so.   The word was â€Å"impacted.†Ã‚   As in That incident really impacted me.  Ã‚   Is that a correct usage historically?   It seems that its not correct as soon as I said it although I hear people use it that way!   (but how many talking heads use irregardless?!) The use of the past participle impacted to mean â€Å"had an impact on† is fairly recent. The original sense of impact (v.) is â€Å"to press closely into something, It’s from Latin impactus, pp of impingere, â€Å"to push into.† The word Impinge comes from the same source. The form impacted has until recently been used to describe something that is closely wedged together. Teeth, for example, can be impacted. A bone that has been crushed can have impacted fragments. Other things not nice to mention can be impacted. Coleridge used impact in 1817 as a noun to mean â€Å"the effect of coming into contact with a thing or a person. Ex: That had an impact on him. Nowadays the noun impact is also seen in the plural in the context of various occupations: impacts A measure of viewing to advertisements. One impact is equivalent to one viewer watching one 30-second advertising spot. impacts Effects of pressures on the status of surface water and groundwater impacts The significant consequences of a government program activity, either intended or unintended, and either positive or negative. The earliest recorded use of the verb impact to mean â€Å"to strike forcefully against something† dates from 1916. If something can be said to impact something, then the participle use is sure to follow. Like so many shortcut words beloved by headline writers, impacted in place of â€Å"had an impact on† is here to stay: Has the Economy Impacted Your Earnings? How space exploration has impacted our health How Globalization Has Impacted Labor How football hooliganism has negatively impacted the sport Nevertheless, I find it disconcerting. When I hear someone say, â€Å"That really impacted me,† I have the mental image of a body all mashed in on itself. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeopleUsing "zeitgeist" Coherently