Emotional Memories

Did you know that in order for your brain to consolidate an experience as an “emotional memory,” the experience or event must be very arousing to your brain? Naturally, these types of experiences are more likely to be stored in long-term memory and to be recalled (as compared to memories of events that were nor very arousing such as yet another uneventful trip to the grocery store). The arousal can be positive or negative. A very positive or a very negative arousal can cause a memory to be strongly retained.