Genuine Traumatic Memory
Fragmented but Persistent
- Traumatic memories often come in fragments (images, sensations, emotions) rather than a neat narrative.
- Survivors may clearly remember certain sensory details (smell, sound, body sensations) but not the full sequence.
Strong Emotional Charge
- Recalling may trigger intense physiological reactions (panic, sweating, shaking) even decades later.
- These reactions can feel involuntary and overwhelming.
Consistency of Core Details
- While minor details may shift (time of day, clothing, sequence), the central event (the assault itself) tends to remain consistent.
Unwanted Intrusions
- Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts often occur, even when the person wishes to avoid thinking about the event.
Contextual Gaps
- Because the brain prioritises survival during trauma, the hippocampus (memory organiser) may not fully encode time and context — so memories may lack order but still feel “burned in.”
False or Reconstructed Memory
- Formed Through Suggestion
- Can arise during highly suggestive therapy, hypnosis, leading questioning, or exposure to others’ stories.
- People may confuse imagination, dreams, or repeated suggestions with real memory.
- Narrative Smoothness
- False memories are sometimes recalled as a coherent story rather than fragmented sensory bits.
- They may lack the “flashbulb” intensity or involuntary body reactions that genuine trauma often evokes.
- Change Over Retellings
- They may shift more significantly over time, with new details appearing or disappearing as the person rethinks or reimagines.
- Less Sensory/Emotional Anchoring
- May feel emotionally flat or lack vivid sensory elements (though not always).
- Confidence ≠ Accuracy
- A person may feel absolutely certain about a false memory — confidence alone isn’t a reliable marker.
Summary:
- Traumatic memories are often fragmented, sensory-heavy, intrusive, and emotionally intense, with the core trauma remaining stable.
- False/reconstructed memories often arise from suggestion, may be smoother, more story-like, and less anchored in involuntary reactions, though they can still feel utterly convincing.
