Notably, emotion and memory are two different terms, but they are closely intertwined with one another. We often do not pay any heed to the outcomes of certain emotions which we are experiencing and the resulting internal happenings in our mind.

Emotions are reactions that human beings experience in response to situations, which may be good, bad or neutral. These situations also have an impact on our body and, more specifically, on our memory.

Human memory refers to the part of the mind which acquire, store, retain and retrieve information. When someone is in a good mood, his memory flourishes and is retained for a long time. On the other hand, a bad or sad mood leads to chances of poor retention.

There are six basic emotions that are universal, namely: fear, disgust, anger, surprise, happiness and sadness. Nonetheless, these emotions influence the memory of a person to a large extent, and some of the effects are discussed below:

Effects of fear

Usually, fear occurs when a person encounters something hideous or scary, or it can be a reaction to threats by someone. So what happens when someone experiences fear? The blood pressure and heart rate increase; breathing becomes faster, that triggers the mind and damages the formation of long-term memories and even causing damage to certain parts of the brain, like the hippocampus, which is a complex brain structure that plays a major role in learning and memory.

Effects of anger

Anger is a natural emotion that everybody experiences from time to time. It is a reaction against something which irritates or frustrates us.

In anger, a person’s facial expression changes to sullen and he/she may start behaving harsh. The individual, at that moment, does not feel what is happening internally, but various risks do arise, such as, heart risk, weak immune system, dwindling lifespan and, above all, it puts a great impact on the memory.

A new study found that anger increases one’s vulnerability to misinformation and it also says that anger makes people more prone to different types of memory errors — incorrect recollection or complete loss of information in the memory system for a specific detail or event.

Effects of happiness

Happiness is an emotion of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfilment. Psychologists and scientists regard this term as subjective well-being, it refers to how people experience and evaluate different aspects of their lives.

When someone experiences happiness, the body releases certain chemicals which help you feel pleasure. This in turn has various effects, such as giving boost to the immune system, fighting stress and pain, increasing lifespan and, more importantly, acting as a fertiliser to the brain and improving memory. Studies show that individuals who are in a state of happiness are more likely to remember information presented to them and have improved ability to learn.

Effects of saddens

Sadness is a negative emotion, which can be threatening to our health. When sad, a person passes through turmoil, which is a reaction to situations that are painful, distressful and disappointing. Sadness makes a person dull and weak. In addition, negative feelings result in the release of harmones that affect our body negatively.

Among the effects of sadness are forgetfulness and confusion, making it difficult for an individual to focus on tasks and think clearly. Furthermore, it can lead to poor memory and is also linked to short-term memory loss in certain instances.

In short, every emotion has its impact on our health, and thus put a considerable effect on our lives. A person may or may not have control over their emotions, but it’s better to always opt for positive emotions and not give space to the negative ones. If you feel good, you will release positive vibes, bonding with people around you and building a strong community.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 24th, 2022