WHAT IS TRAUMA ?
Trauma is a complex, emotional response to intense and negative events that happened to a person. When a person undergoes trauma, it can cause shock and denial in the short term and even change a person's behavior, actions, and way of thinking in the long term, which could potentially cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to Develop.
HOW DOES IT IMPACT THE BRAIN?
Emotional trauma could have an impact on three sections of the brain: the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex. These three sections of the brain usually work together to manage stress. Trauma influences a person’s brain structure as well as chemicals which impacts a person’s decision-making as well as their subconscious reactions to their surroundings. It is important to remember that trauma affects people in different ways, depending on the severity of the traumatic experience, individual circumstances, and individual core personalities.
HOW TRAUMA AFFECTS THE AMYGDALA
The amygdala is a section of nervous tissue that acts as the emotional, instinctual, and memory center of the brain. The functions it performs include processing emotional responses such as fear, processing memories, and decision making. When a person is reminded of a traumatic event, the amygdala becomes overly active and goes into overdrive which causes the person to exhibit heightened fear, chronic stress, as well as increased irritability.
HOW TRAUMA AFFECTS THE HIPPOCAMPUS
The hippocampus is the section of the brain that acts as the memory and learning center of the brain. When a person experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is a decreased activity and reduced function of the hippocampus which lowers their ability to distinguish past experiences from the present. This causes traumatic memories to remain constant and vivid on the minds of people with PTSD and thus, mere reminders of the traumatic experience can trigger flight-or-fight responses such as panic, fear, or stress.
HOW TRAUMA AFFECTS THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX
The prefrontal cortex is the section of the brain that acts as the executive-functioning and emotion-regulating center of the brain. When a person experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is a reduction in function and activity in the prefrontal cortex which may cause the person to develop irrational fears and troubles in overcoming their trauma. The amygdala detects emotions while the prefrontal cortex reacts rationally to the detected emotions. A reduced function of the prefrontal cortex will cause a person to have a decreased ability in regulating their emotions.
HOW THE BRAIN HEALS FROM TRAUMA
‘Neuroplasticity’ is a term that defines the brain’s receptiveness towards change and its ability to reorganize its structure in order to adapt. The changes in the brain structure caused by trauma can be reversed. Trauma treatment usually includes Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (also known as talk therapy or psychotherapy), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (a modified type of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy), or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. If needed, medications such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds may be prescribed by physicians or psychiatrists, alongside therapy.
Recovering from emotional trauma is a long and difficult process but with help and the right treatment, overcoming trauma is possible.
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