To disrupt the recollection process, there is a technique called eye scrambling. I’ve done this on people and they describe a feeling of being brainwashed after it’s done – and it takes less than a minute. It works best for mild to moderately intense memories that you tend to ruminate on.

Here is how it works. While holding on to the memory in your mind as best you can, rapidly move your eyes in random directions – up and down, back and forth, diagonally, etc and continue to do this for at least 30 seconds, preferably a minute. It may be helpful to have a grid of dots in front of you to focus your attention on and then just scan the dots rapidly in random order. You must work to hold on to the memory while you do this. Why? Because the act of getting up and moving and moving your eyes will cause your brain to want to release the memory. This won’t “reprogram” it though so it could return with whatever stimulus brought it up the first time.