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Writer's pictureAnnabelle Backes

How Trauma Affects the Four Types of Memory



Introduction:

Trauma, whether caused by a single catastrophic event or a prolonged series of experiences, has an immense impact on memory. Memory is incredibly complex, taking in information provided by the five senses and processing it into their respective categories. Split into implicit and explicit memories, there are two subcategories within both types. Falling under explicit memory includes semantic and episodic memory, while emotional and procedural memory falls within implicit memories. Trauma affects all four types of memory differently. 


Explicit Memory: Semantic Memory

Semantic memory is used when storing general knowledge, including facts and the meaning of words. Though semantic memory is not necessarily tied to any personal experiences, its importance lies within the fact that it is utilized almost every second of the day. For example, when going about one’s day, semantic memory is exercised when seeing a bicycle and knowing it is a bicycle, or knowing that a plate is used for holding food and a car is used to carry people from one place to another (Understanding the different types of memory). Semantic memory is created by the front temporal lobe and inferior parietal cortex collecting information from other parts of the brain (How trauma impacts four different types of memory). Trauma affects semantic memory in which the brain is prevented from combining memories from the five senses to correctly form memories. Childhood trauma is especially damaging to semantic memories, as the brains of children are still developing and childhood trauma could potentially re-wire their brains to stay in “survival mode,” resulting in affected learning and behaviors (Mullins). 


Explicit Memory: Episodic Memory

The brain uses episodic memory to recall past events, including traumatic events. Personal experiences play a pivotal role in episodic memories as the brain uses it to remember past experiences, like what one had for lunch or one’s 10th birthday party (Understanding the different types of memory). Created and recalled by the hippocampus, episodic memory is the autobiographical part of memory, utilizing one’s ability to recall the “who, what, and where” of the event. If one were to have an event like falling off a bicycle in front of a crowd, they would be able to recall who was there, what location they were at, and the chronological order of the event. Trauma affects episodic memory as it can lead to a fragmented series of events and cause the victim to lack the ability to recall the event correctly (How trauma impacts four different types of memory). As the sequence of events gets jumbled, it can even lead trauma survivors to doubt their own experiences if their memory does not correlate to certain facts like the timeline of when the event happened (Mullins). 


Implicit Memory: Emotional Memory

As the name suggests, Emotional memory is the memory for events that evoke a certain emotion, or many emotions (Apa Dictionary of Psychology). An example of emotional memory is the feeling of shame or embarrassment one feels when recalling the event in which they fell off their bike. The amygdala is responsible for controlling emotionally charged memories traumatic events play into this (How trauma impacts four different types of memory). Trauma is tied to this as remembering a traumatic event can trigger strong emotions. Oftentimes, a trigger, be it a person, a place, or a similar experience, can cause an onset of emotional memories to resurface, leading to the victim re-living the experience in their mind (Mullins).


Implicit Memory: Procedural Memory

Procedural memory is one’s ability to perform a common task without actively thinking about it, like easily riding a bike without having to stop and recall the steps it after learning how to balance it. Produced by the striatum, it is also responsible for creating new habits (How trauma impacts four different types of memory). When trauma affects this part of the brain, previous habits that are memorized can be disrupted, and one might forget how to do certain tasks or forget to do tasks that were previously part of the person’s habits. After a traumatic event, one can experience being constantly on edge, leading to tension, which in turn leads to muscle pain over time. Physical manifestations of trauma can occur in forms such as muscle pain, aches, and inflammations after developing a habit of being tense (Mullins). 


Conclusion

Trauma evokes a profound influence on various parts of memory, shaping cognitive processes. Explicit memories like semantic and episodic memories, which are responsible for knowledge and personal experiences, may become disoriented after a traumatic event. Concurrently, implicit memories, including emotional and procedural memories that are vital for emotional responses and learned skills, can cause traumatic memories to resurface after a trigger. These insights underscore the extensive impact on memory caused by traumatic events, emphasizing the importance of tailored therapy to heal one’s trauma.


Works Cited:

“Apa Dictionary of Psychology.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, dictionary.apa.org/emotional-memory. Accessed 9 July 2024. 


How Trauma Impacts Four Different Types of Memory - NAADAC, www.naadac.org/assets/2416/2019NWRC_Michael_Bricker_Handout4.pdf. Accessed 10 July 2024. 


Mullins, Rachel. “4 Ways That Trauma Affects Memory.” 4 Ways That Trauma Affects Memory, 10 Sept. 2020, rachelmullinscounseling.com/2019/05/07/4-ways-that-trauma-affects-memory/


“Understanding the Different Types of Memory.” Alzheimer’s Society, www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/staying-independent/understanding-types-memory. Accessed 9 July 2024. 

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