November 2007
Are you old enough to remember the British brand of nylon known as Brinylon? I have a Brinylon shirt that I still wear. I can even remember buying it. I bought it when I was living in Wallington, Surrey, from a menswear shop on the hill up from the station, half way up on the left.
I left Wallington in 1970.
The amazing fact is not that I should have a shirt which is still perfectly wearable after 37 years. The amazing fact is that after 37 years I should still remember such a trivial and useless piece of information as where I bought it. I imagine the shop has long since disappeared.
The only problem that memory causes me is to wonder whether forgetting it would free up enough space in my brain for memories of more essential things, like that extra pint of milk my wife asked me to buy on my way home.
Unfortunately some people have memories they find a terrible burden, whether it's memories of things other people have done, of things they themselves did or didn't do, or of things they have seen or experienced. When these become intolerable the person concerned can become mentally ill or turn to drink or drugs in an effort to suppress the memory. That can eventually lead to homelessness.
Many of those we see at CHESS have this type of problem. We cannot do much about the memories, but we can provide a sympathetic ear when people do wish to talk about them. Talking about painful memories is a much better therapy than drowning them out with drink or drugs.