Flashbulb Memory

Do you have a flashbulb memory? Likely everyone does for some event or other. Brown and Kulik reportedly coined the term flashbulb memory to describe the way in which the brain can store and then recall a shocking event, often with very accurate details even years later. One of my flashbulb memories is that of walking into a patient’s room on 9-11 and seeing a plane crash into one of the twin towers—on television. My first thought was of close friends who lived in New York City and who worked across the street from the towers. I can still pull up that picture in my mind’s eye and clearly recall the emotions that were generated by my brain and body.