When the brain makes you believe that something which never happened is true
"The most frightening thing is not forgetting a memory, but believing absolutely in a memory that never existed."
What Is a False Memory?
🧩 A false memory is when a person recalls an event that never happened, or remembers the details of a real event incorrectly.
Unlike lying or deliberate imagination, someone experiencing a false memory believes completely that the memory is real.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), human memory does not work like a video camera.
Each time we recall an event, the brain is in fact "reconstructing" that memory.
This means memories can be altered over time.
Schizophrenia - The Link With False Memories
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects:
✔️ Cognition
✔️ Emotion
✔️ Behaviour
✔️ The ability to judge reality
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), patients commonly experience:
🔹 Delusions
🔹 Hallucinations
🔹 Disordered thinking
🔹 Cognitive decline
Beyond these common symptoms, many modern neuroscience studies have found that patients are at higher risk of forming false memories than people without the condition.
What Is Happening In The Brain?
Scientists believe this phenomenon is linked to:
• Reduced function of the hippocampus
• Abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex
• Disruption of the mechanism that verifies where information came from (source monitoring)
In other words, the brain may struggle to work out:
👉 What actually happened, and
👉 What was merely a thought, something imagined, or information received from someone else
What Does The Science Say?
📚 Several studies published in Schizophrenia Bulletin show that people with schizophrenia have significantly higher rates of false memories than healthy control groups.
📚 Neuroimaging studies have also recorded changes in the brain regions involved in memory and the perception of reality.
This helps explain why some patients can be utterly certain about memories that are inaccurate.
Which Signs Need Early Assessment?
🚩 A person should be seen by a specialist if the following appear:
• Firm belief in events for which there is no evidence
• Persistent delusions
• Hearing sounds or voices that are not there
• Groundless suspicion of other people
• Withdrawal from social life
• Unusual changes in behaviour or emotion
Early detection and treatment can significantly improve quality of life.
Where Can You Get A Trusted Psychiatric Assessment?
Ho Chi Minh City
🏥 Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital
🏥 Ho Chi Minh City Psychiatric Hospital
🏥 FV Hospital
🏥 Hanh Phuc International Hospital
🏥 Hyppo Clinic
Ha Noi
🏥 Institute of Mental Health – Bach Mai Hospital
🏥 Ha Noi Medical University Hospital
🏥 Central Psychiatric Hospital
Suitable Check-up Packages
📋 Specialist psychiatric consultation
📋 Neurocognitive assessment
📋 Clinical psychological testing
📋 Depression and anxiety assessment
📋 Long-term treatment monitoring
Initial consultation fees usually range from 300,000 – 1,500,000 VND depending on the healthcare facility.
Mental Health Matters Just As Much As Physical Health
🌿 Many people spend hours having their heart, liver or kidneys checked, yet ignore unusual signals from the brain.
Schizophrenia is not "mental weakness".
It is a medical condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated by specialists.
📱 With Halza, you can:
✔️ Store psychiatric records securely
✔️ Book appointments with partner hospitals and clinics
✔️ Track treatment results on a single platform
✔️ Manage health records for the whole family
Because caring for your mental health is also caring for your own future.
References
📚 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
📚 American Psychological Association (APA)
📚 Schizophrenia Bulletin
📚 National Health Service (NHS)
📚 Mayo Clinic
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