Many veterans of military conflicts involuntarily recall unwanted, unpleasant memories.

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- Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event
- Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)
- Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event
- Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event
- Such memories include not only visual images but also sounds, smells, tastes and bodily sensations

Intrusive Memories

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

A combat veteran is shopping in a crowded grocery store when a stock clerk drops a large box, creating a sudden, loud bang. The veteran immediately feels a surge of panic and vividly re-experiences the sounds and smells of a past firefight for several seconds. Which of the following best describes this specific, involuntary re-experiencing of the past event?

Read the following scenario. Analyze the character's experiences and identify three distinct examples of him re-experiencing a past traumatic event. For each example, explain how it demonstrates the characteristics of an unwanted, distressing memory.

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