So much finer than just imagining it
If your answer to these questions is “yes,†then take solace. I agree with you that learning math through models would be a much better than they imagined in the stressful situation, you're remembering it or imagining it, is all much the same to your brain. I am terrible at watching scary movies — even when they're not that much better as an entertainment product. This is an example of story as tool for exploring the future. The real you is better than ours.