The Effects of Trauma on the Brain

The three brains

Inside our brain we have 3 brains, the neocortical brain, the limbic brain and the reptilian brain.

The neocortical brain is the thinking brain, our logic, our executive functioning; the brain where our language is and where our logic resides.

The limbic brain is the part of the brain where our emotions reside.

The reptilian brain is our oldest brain, is the one that controls basic body functions. This reptilian brain is the one in charge of our survival.

The amygdala

The amygdala is a small structure in the brain that has the shape of an almond. The amygdala is sort of a smoke detector. Its job is to activate an alarm response when we perceive a threat.

What happens to the brain during trauma

When we are facing a traumatic experience our amygdala (smoke detector) will send an alarm signal and as a result, the parts of our brain that are not essential for survival will disconnect. Our neocortical and limbic brains disconnect, while our reptilian brain activates.

We go into flight, fight or freeze response

Let me give you one example: if a shooter enters to my home at this moment, I am going to go into survival mode. I am not going to “think” about what kind of weapon this person has, I am not going to contemplate the feelings I have at that moment.

My neocortical brain and limbic brain are going to disconnect and my reptilian brain is going to engage to keep me alive.

I am going to fight the shooter, flight the scene or I am going to freeze (pretend I am dead).

The aftermath of trauma

Let’s pretend that I survived the shooting, that I was able to flight or that I was able to hide from this shooter and saved my life.

This would be a very traumatic event. Let’s pretend that I did not have the opportunity to process this event and I had to move on and continue with my life. One day, I see or hear something that reminds me of this traumatic event. Maybe I hear a loud bang or I hear a loud sound; suddenly I feel as if the event of the shooting is happening to me again. My amygdala says: this is familiar, we are in danger, alarm!

Continuous exposure to trauma

When our brain has to continuously be on “survival mode” because we are experiencing trauma often, our amygdala becomes more sensitive.

If we are exposed to trauma on daily basis or continuously through years, our amygdala becomes sensitive and will initiate an alarm response at the slightest sign of danger.

As you can imagine, the implications for domestic violence, sexual abuse, going to war, working in a highly stressful environment, and experiencing several distressing experiences over time has effects on mental health.

Depression

When our amygdala perceives a threat, it sends a signal of alarm to the hypothalamus, which orders our body to release hormones that gives us strength to fight. After the traumatic event passes, our body tries to recalibrate and achieve balance. Our body tries to relieve and reduce the tension.

If you are constantly being alerted and constantly trying to recalibrate or cool down your body from an alert response, then this would explain why chronic depression is also one of the symptoms that people who have experienced trauma live with.

Anxiety

People who have experience traumatic events often, live with anxiety, and in some cases, they live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Acute Stress Disorder. The person feels hijacked by the traumatic experience. They feel as if the experience is happening to them again. They might have intrusive memories, flashbacks and nightmares connected to the traumatic event.

Your brain has the capacity to heal itself

Therapy can be helpful if you have experienced trauma because it will help to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. In some cases, medications prescribed by a psychiatrist and being in therapy at the same time are the best combination. The medications will balance your nervous system and therapy will give you the opportunity to reprocess trauma and learn copying skills to deal with the anxiety and depression symptoms.

Making meaning

Dr. Daniel Siegel says that it is not about what happened to you but it is about how we make meaning of it.

Therapy is an opportunity to REINTEGRATE those traumatic experiences, to make meaning of them. Therapy is an opportunity to heal your brain. It is an opportunity to rewire your brain by reprocessing traumatic experiences, and make sense of those experiences in the safety of the presence of a trained therapist.

I offer a contained and secure space where you can reprocess trauma. In addition, before entering into trauma work I facilitate my clients to develop emotion regulation skills.

Your brain has the capacity to heal itself

As I have mention in another article, traumatic experiences are stored under the neocortical brain. Brainspotting is a powerful tool which I use with my clients. Brainspotting allows my clients to access the trauma stored in their limbic and reptilian brains.

Your brain has the capacity to heal itself. Once you open those capsules of trauma, your brain takes over and heals. Similarly to when you get a cut and your body heals itself by repairing your skin, your brain has the capacity to heal itself. Brainspotting allows your brain to do what it does naturally.

You might be interested in watching the following video. I did not solicited this testimonial. This is a public video about Ted’s experience with Brainspotting.

To read more about Brainspotting click here.