What is traumatic memory?

 

There are different types of memory and there are different ways we remember things.

 

TYPES OF MEMORY

RECALL MEMORY

-  where an event is consciously retained with a sense of
   having experienced the event

IMAGISTIC MEMORY

-  is memory in the form of imagery.
-  flashbacks (see GLOSSARY) of previous trauma are like
   this.
-  this kind of memory tends to be persistent, uniquely
   compelling and may occur many times.

 

FEELING MEMORY
-  is the memory of an emotional response to a particular
   event or situation.
-  for example, remembering how shocked you felt when a
   friend died suddenly.

 

BODY MEMORY
-  is when something is remembered in the form of a
   physical sensation such as nausea, genital awareness or
   arousal, or body pain
-  for example, if you were in an accident years ago and
   were injured quite badly you might have flashbacks (see
   GLOSSARY) in the form of body memories where you
   would re-experience the pain of those injuries

 

TRAUMATIC MEMORY
is when earlier traumatic events are remembered. This type of memory is stored in a different part of your brain.

It can surface in any of the forms listed above.

 

Traumatic memories tend to elicit very strong emotions, usually the same or very similar to what was felt at the time of the trauma.

 

The purpose of these memories is to relive the experience with good emotional support and heal from them. This is a way of processing and making sense of these earlier events so that you can move on from them.