Trauma: How to Understand the Impact on Your Brain
Many people will go through some type of traumatic event in their lives. There isn’t one “correct” response to dealing with trauma. Everyone handles it differently.
Yet, it’s important to understand how trauma affects the brain no matter your response to the traumatic experience.
Trauma can actually change your brain and how it processes things. The good news? Most of the signs are somewhat predictable, and the symptoms can be noticeable enough for you to do something about it.
Knowing what is going on with your brain after a traumatic experience can be helpful. If you try to ignore it, you might start to think you’re just paranoid, or wonder what’s wrong with you.
By learning more about the short-term and long-term effects of trauma on the brain, you can seek out the most beneficial treatment to manage your symptoms and move forward.
How Trauma Affects the Brain
The three biggest areas of the brain that trauma often impacts are the:
Prefrontal cortex
Anterior cingulate cortex
Amygdala
These areas, respectively, are responsible for thinking, emotional regulation, and response to fear. They help to control everything from rational thought to helping you deal with your emotions without becoming overwhelmed.
So, how does trauma impact these areas?
It tends to slow down the processes behind the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. This can make it difficult to concentrate, control your emotions, or keep your attention focused. Many people who experience trauma complain about not being able to think clearly.
Additionally, the amygdala goes into overdrive after a traumatic event. This can lead to symptoms like:
Stress
Irritation
Fear
Trouble sleeping
Trouble feeling safe
If trauma goes untreated, especially emotional trauma, it can lead to even more serious side effects including self-destructive behaviors and an inability to hold onto close relationships.
What Can You Do to Re-Train Your Brain?
Though a traumatic experience may have been a one-time event, it can have lasting effects on your brain.
Unfortunately, those effects aren’t easy to change right away. It takes a lot of time and effort to fully heal from a traumatic event. Remember, each person experiences them differently and reacts differently. That’s why the right individualized treatment is so important.
The first step in managing the effects of trauma is to recognize that something is wrong. You have to be willing to heal and move past your brain’s “new” responses to the traumatic event. It’s not always easy to admit you’re struggling. But, if you don’t acknowledge it, you’re less likely to seek out the right treatment.
Finding a support system is another crucial part of the healing process. Family and friends can really be there for you. Connecting with people you trust can prevent you from isolating yourself and letting your anxious thoughts and fears take over.
Another way to harness those fears and manage symptoms is to be more mindful. Focus on the present, and what you can do to relax. Some people benefit from things like meditation and yoga to take control of their thoughts.
Professional Help Can Be the Best Solution
Many times, professional help is needed to help someone manage and overcome the effects of trauma on the brain. You’re not alone in your experience, and it’s okay to reach out if you’re struggling with certain symptoms. If you try to ignore it or “help” yourself, the impact could be worse.
If you’ve been through trauma and you notice you haven’t been the same ever since, feel free to contact the clinical staff at Mind Body Wellness. We can work on accepting what you’ve been through with counseling for trauma. From there, your Clinical Therapist will be with you on your journey to take control of your thoughts once again without letting the traumatic experience take the wheel.
Click below to schedule your free consultation.
