Traumatic Memories vs. Bad Memories

Photo by Matt Hudson

Anyone who has been involved in a fender bender can recall at least a few aspects of the accident. Some may focus on the damage from the collision; others, the anxious expression on their loved ones’ faces. A fender bender is by no means a pleasant experience. But, if the parties involved could walk away with minor scrapes after a collision, most would consider that lucky. As life goes on, these stories are retold when the mood strikes. Telling them no longer brings us anguish. In a way, we have become observers, recounting an event from long ago with diluted emotion and distilled wisdom.

That is how most memories work — the brain edits to suit its need for efficiency and organization. We don’t work like computers; there is no need for that kind of precision. Instead, we file away only the most salient points. The rest, we let fade away.

That is, unless we are dealing with traumatic memories. Then it’s a different story.

Traumatic memories are different from bad memories. To start, they are created differently. When a person is experiencing trauma, the sensory input goes to the amygdala — the brain area critical for emotional processing — then the hypothalamus — the brain area that issues commands to the autonomic nervous system — so the body is poised for flight-or-fight responses. Think of autonomic responses as things we do without thinking, for example, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, hormones, etc.; anything that prepares us for quick actions to ensure survival. This mechanism is so well honed that it is activated without much conscious thought.

It is, by most accounts, an ingenious device. What complicates matters, however, is that while in action, it is also allowing our brain to encode more information and form more associations that can lead to unexpected consequences. For better or worse, this process allows us to incorporate more stimuli into our memory system and link them to the original threat. Therefore, moving forward, when we encounter any of these stimuli, we react as if we are in the presence of danger once again. This is one of the reasons why people with PTSD often feel the impact long after the trauma. Essentially, anything that resembles any of those elements can trigger a reaction. Even though the mind is rational and cognizant of the cause, the grip of fear or shame can persist mercilessly beyond reason.