By mweadmin - January 2, 2025

Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD, is a mental health disorder that affects individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as natural disasters, childhood abuse, combat duty, terrorist attacks, acts of violence, or a sudden death. Studies have shown that trauma can cause short-term and long-term memory loss due to changes in body chemistry and areas of the brain associated with memory.

While memory loss from trauma can negatively impact your life, affecting daily activities or putting strain on relationships, there is hope. People suffering from memory loss due to trauma can manage and recover from their symptoms with the proper interventions, such as medication management, talk therapy, accessible and flexible telehealth appointments, and alternative therapies like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Jump to:

• Can Trauma Cause Memory Loss?
• How Does PTSD Affect Memory?
• Why Does Trauma Cause Memory Loss?
• Symptoms of Memory Loss
• PTSD Treatment Options at Madison Avenue Psychiatry & TMS
• Get PTSD Treatment In New York City

Can Trauma Cause Memory Loss?

Absolutely, yes. Studies show that just experiencing trauma can cause impairments in memory and that memory loss is increased with PTSD symptoms (1). Memories are made when our brain encodes and stores information via neural pathways. When an individual experiences a high-stress situation, that complex system is disrupted, which can impair the formation of memories and make it difficult to recall details of the traumatic event.

How Does PTSD Affect Memory?

Patients with PTSD may have their memory impacted in the following ways:

• Trauma memory loss: The most common type of memory loss PTSD patients suffer is difficulty in recalling details about the trauma itself. While patients may have flashbacks of the event, they are usually just pieces and fragments of the memory. (2, 3, 4)
• Emotional memory impairment: Lack of emotional associations with memories or repression of memories is common among trauma patients.
• Complex PTSD and memory loss: Complex PTSD is when a person has suffered trauma repeatedly over time instead of one single event. People with complex PTSD suffer from severe memory issues and dissociation.

Why Does Trauma Cause Memory Loss?

• Changes in brain structure: Studies have shown that trauma causes memory loss because of impacts on different areas of the brain responsible for storing and making memories, particularly the hippocampus. PTSD patients have smaller volumes of the hippocampus region, essential to taking in new information and forming episodic memory, i.e., the ability to recall memories (3, 5).
• Impact of stress hormones: During a traumatic event, our body releases the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine, which cause increased levels of fear and anxiety. These stress hormones are meant to act as an “alarm system” in the body and trigger the “fight or flight” survival state. However, persistently increased cortisol levels have been associated with worse memory and can damage the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, areas of the brain related to memory (5).
• Avoidance and suppression: As a psychological coping mechanism, individuals will avoid and suppress painful memories as a way to protect themselves.

Symptoms of Memory Loss In PTSD

While trauma can cause some issues with memory loss, PTSD patients may have some specific symptoms:

• Difficulty remembering the trauma: Studies have shown that victims of childhood abuse sometimes do not recall memories of what happened to them until they are adults and in a safe, therapeutic relationship. (2) Another recent study revealed that US asylum seekers who are required to share details of why they are fleeing their countries have high rates of PTSD and have difficulty recalling details of trauma they experienced in their home countries. (6)
• Short-term memory problems: In a recent study, PTSD patients watched videos of everyday activities and recalled what they saw. Those with severe PTSD symptoms had more difficulty agreeing on time and locations as well as recalling specific details, demonstrating that PTSD patients struggle not only with recalling their trauma but with forming new memories about daily tasks and activities (4).
• Dissociation and memory gaps: Dissociation is the brain’s way of protecting an individual from an overwhelming event. It is an unconscious and automatic process that can create gaps in memory (2).
• Flashbacks blurring past and present: People suffering from PTSD will often have flashbacks or nightmares of the trauma, triggered by external stimuli like sights, sounds, or other reminders of the events. Even if they are in a safe environment, once a flashback is triggered, patients will “relive” the trauma as if it were happening in the present.

PTSD Treatment Options At Madison Avenue

The following effective treatment options for PTSD symptoms are available at Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry:

• Medication management: Certain medications can help manage PTSD memory-related challenges. Antidepressants, such as SSRIs (e.g., sertraline and paroxetine), are often prescribed to reduce symptoms like anxiety and depression that can exacerbate memory issues. Prazosin is frequently used to alleviate PTSD-related nightmares, promoting better sleep, which is essential for memory consolidation.
• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) have proven effective in processing traumatic memories. CBT helps individuals reframe negative thought patterns, while EMDR uses guided eye movements to reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, aiding both emotional and cognitive recovery.
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): TMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific brain regions affected by PTSD. It has shown promise in alleviating symptoms of PTSD and improving cognitive functions, including memory, by enhancing neural plasticity and connectivity in affected areas of the brain.
• Telehealth Consultations: Telehealth has made therapy more accessible for those with PTSD. Virtual sessions provide flexibility and convenience, making it easier for individuals to access evidence-based treatments. Regular telehealth check-ins can also support medication adherence and monitoring.

By combining these interventions, individuals with PTSD can address both emotional and memory-related symptoms, improving their overall quality of life.

Get PTSD Treatment In New York

The expert team at Madison Avenue TMS and Psychiatry is here to support New Yorkers dealing with PTSD, including trauma-related memory loss. Our diverse, culturally sensitive staff offers personalized care tailored to your needs. PTSD can profoundly affect every aspect of life, but with the right treatment and support, recovery is possible. Whether you’re a first responder, a survivor of violence, or navigating the effects of racism or displacement, help is available. Take the first step toward healing—contact us today by filling out our online form or calling (212) 731-2033. You don’t have to suffer in silence.

Learn more about PTSD:

• The Connection Between PTSD And Depression
• PTSD In Veterans
• TMS Treatment For PTSD

Sources

1. Petzold, M, and Bunzeck, N. Impaired episodic memory in PTSD patients — A meta-analysis of 47 studies. Front. Psychiatry. 2022;13:909442. Link. Accessed November 18, 2024.
2. Malmo, C, & Laidlaw, TS. Symptoms of Trauma and Traumatic Memory Retrieval in Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 2010;11(1), 22–43. Link. Accessed November 18, 2024.
3. Elzinga, BM, Bremner, JD. Are the neural substrates of memory the final common pathway in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? J Affect Disord. 2002;70(1):1-17. Link. Accessed November 18, 2024.
4. Pitts, BL, Eisenberg, ML, Bailey, HR, et al. PTSD is associated with impaired event processing and memory for everyday events. Cogn. Research. 2022;7: 35. Link. Accessed November 18, 2024.
5. Bremner, JD. Traumatic stress: effects on the brain. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2006;8(4), 445–461. Link. Accessed November 18, 2024.
6. Saadi A, Hampton K, de Assis MV, Mishori R, Habbach H, Haar RJ. Associations between memory loss and trauma in US asylum seekers: A retrospective review of medico-legal affidavits. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(3): e0247033. Link. Accessed November 18, 2024.

mweadmin