3 Negative Effects of Trauma on the Brain
There isn't any limit towards the impact that trauma can have on a individual. Actually, experiencing traumatic events in childhood and through the span of a life can severely alter an individual's path in life. Trauma causes physical, emotional, and psychological pain. In addition, the results of trauma around the brain may modify the way we handle relationships, manage day-to-day challenges, and consider life.
If you or a family member has suffered through a traumatic event and is struggling today, contact our caring team at Accxy online or call to learn how a trauma therapy program can help.
The Brain Attempts to Keep You Safe
One from the brain's key functions is to keep us safe. The human brain converts experiences into memories so you can prioritize activities that reward you with positive feelings and joy, and also at the same time frame avoid experiences with negative outcomes. While you experience trauma, your brain works diligently to keep you safe and secure. Moving forward, your brain will continue to warn you of danger. This will occur despite the threat passes along with a traumatic episode originates to a conclusion. Brain trauma effects include this natural reaction that changes the way the brain functions.
3 Negative Effects of Trauma on the Brain
Anyone suffering from emotional trauma or PTSD may exhibit emotional scars for months, years, or for the remainder of their life, exhibiting an elevated fear and stress to future situations and events. It becomes clear that trauma effects on brain are plenty of and can be severe.
Studies have shown that trauma does impact brain functions in multiple ways. The effects of trauma around the brain impact three areas of the brain the most: the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These areas play a role in regulating emotions and responding to fear. After traumatic events, these areas may perform and function differently than before.
The Amygdala
The amygdala is definitely an almond-shaped structure of nervous tissue in the brain. It is responsible for regulating emotions, your survival instincts, response to fear, and memory. Traumatic stress over-activates the amygdala and when this occurs, your reaction to fear becomes more intense, resulting in memories of traumatic events turning out to be scary nightmares and severe flashbacks. Sleeping often becomes an issue. Trauma effects on the brain provide an overactive amygdala which also creates difficulty in seeing the difference between a threat in the past and a threat at this time.
The impact of this could be debilitating because when you're reminded of trauma, the amygdala responds the very same way it would should you be experiencing it for the first time. This then causes you to be on high alert and on edge all the time. An overactive amygdala may also cause:
- Chronic stress
- Heightened fear
- Increased irritation
- An inability to calm down
- Insomnia
The Hippocampus
The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for storing and retrieving memories and differentiating between past and present experiences. When it comes to the effects of trauma on the brain, the hippocampus might be physically impacted.
The volume of the hippocampus in people suffering from PTSD has been studied to be smaller than others. This will make it difficult to distinguish between yesteryear and present because reminders of traumatic experiences can usher in new fear, stress, and panic.
Ideally, the mind would be able to create and store new memories. However, traumatic stress can keep old memories front of the mind. This will cause you to definitely live in a constant state of stress since the victim cannot differentiate past trauma and the relative safety of their present situation. The fight-or-flight fact is always on due to the brain's perception of a brand new threat.
The Prefrontal Cortex
The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that helps us reason, regulate emotions and interpret them, control our impulses, and helps us solve complex problems. Research data implies that trauma can diminish functionality in the prefrontal cortex, resulting in a negative impact on what you can do to understand new information, manage emotions, and solve new problems. Brain trauma effects your logical thinking, which, makes you feel incapable of controlling your fear.
Learn More at Accxy
The brain could be healed and you may experience recovery from the emotional trauma you've experienced. The altered functionality of the amygdala, hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex at the hands of trauma could be reversed. Contact us using our secure online form or call us confidentially at today to learn more about how our trauma therapy program can help with the effects of trauma on the brain.