Why do we remember traumatic events so vividly?
AI Overview
We remember traumatic events vividly because the amygdala activates the stress response, releasing hormones that “burn” essential details into memory. This high-arousal state enhances the storage of frightening and emotionally charged fragments—like sensory images, sounds, and smells—while hindering the hippocampus’s ability to create a cohesive, narrative account. The memory is not fully processed into a historical record but remains an intense, often non-verbal, emotional experience that can feel like it’s happening in the present.
How Traumatic Memory Works
The Brain’s Alarm System:
During a traumatic event, the amygdala acts as an alarm system, sending signals for the body to enter a “fight or flight” state.
Hormonal Boost:
Stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine are released, which directly impact the hippocampus and “prefrontal cortex”.
Hyper-Encoding:
The hippocampus goes into “super-encoding” mode, prioritizing the encoding of the most frightening and meaningful aspects of the event.
There is much truth in that AI summary, but it is way over simplified.
This is why war veterans do not talk about their experiences. WWII vets especially did not talk about it at all...........