Can you trust your childhood memories?

Memories can be influenced by experiences we have in the present Are you able to trust the memories of your childhood?

"Memories are malleable, varying little each time we rethink them, like stories," Loveday said. When we remember memorable events, they are affected by our perceptions, mindset and the society we live in, which can offer us fresh perspectives on life events. "Memory is the activation of neural networks in the brain that are continually being changed," she said. "As a result, new elements can be effortlessly incorporated into each memory, while current elements can be altered or lost."

Though carrying false childhood memories may impact you more than you believe. Events and experiences we recall from early life can shape us as adults and define our likes, dislikes, and behavior.

Your memory can tell you in detail and feel 100% correct, but that doesn't matter. It can easily be some or all of your brain's lies. The personal experience you want your brain to keep a secret is not what you believe it is. Your memory is pieces of information that your brain has pieced together to help you, not to describe the past, but to give you information that might be helpful in the present.

Our emotions can distort memories

If you've ever attempted to recall the details of an emotionally charged event, you probably know that emotions can wreak havoc on your memory. Sometimes strong feelings can make an experience more unique, but other times they can lead to false memories.

The studies found that people remember events linked with strong emotions more quickly, but the details of those memories were often uncertain. Retelling significant events can also lead to false beliefs about memory accuracy.

Moreover, in a recent study, Brainard and Rayner found that emotions distort the memory of children and adults, mainly when events carry negative emotions. They also found that children were less likely to have false memories of negative events but more likely to have false memories as they got older.