Productive Forgetting: Part 1

I am a bit of a Doctor Who fan.... for anyone who doesn't know this is an awesome science fiction show. I heard a quote today from Doctor Who. "They forget because they must." The show was speaking of people who were dreaming of the horrors that would take place at the end of the world. No one remembered the dreams because they were too terrible to comprehend.

This quote accompanied by the recent discovery of a combination of words opened a new perspective around my understanding of recovery and part work. In some business research I read the words, "Productive Forgetting."

Productive Forgetting: the ability to abandon unproductive ideas and temporarily put aside stubborn problems until new approaches can be considered.

This phrase is used in business but could be DANGEROUS in recovery! As someone who struggles with processing some of my past hurts and making choices to further my recovery from an eating disorder, I carefully asses my mood and actions in a daily inventory. The concept of Productive Forgetting can work FOR me or AGAINST me!

I believe this phrase plays a role in at least 3 different areas of my life:
Containment
Denial
Exiled Parts

Feel free to comment: I'm curious to know what you think of the concept of Productive Forgetting.