Traumatic memories are often fragmented – a psychologist explains how and why that happens

The Conversation (US) reports that traumatic memories often surface as disconnected fragments of sensations, emotions, and images rather than a clear, linear story. The brain's stress response can overwhelm memory storage, leading survivors to freeze, fight, flee, or even act outwardly calm to de-escalate a threat. That can make their accounts seem inconsistent, but the article explains these are natural survival responses, not signs of lying. Understanding this can help friends, co-workers, and legal professionals respond with empathy instead of judgment.

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