How  Does Trauma Affect Brain Function?

Trauma can impact the body as well as the mind on a deep level. Anytime we speak of trauma, we are talking about having gone through something disturbing or heartbreaking, such as being in a serious car accident or losing someone close to us such as a parent, sibling, or spouse, also, going through psychological or physical abuse, or even natural calamities like a hurricane. Not only does this change our emotional status but also how our brain responds. This blog will describe how trauma affects the brain in simple-to-understand terms.

What Happens to the Brain During Trauma?

During trauma, a person’s brain goes into “survival mode.” This is a normal response designed to keep the individual safe. Chemicals, such as adrenaline and cortisol, often called stress hormones, are released from the brain to help the body either resist the danger, flee from it, or even freeze in place response known as “fight, flight, or freeze”. Although such responses are life-saving in the immediate phases of coping with threats, repeated exposure to trauma affects the brain’s functioning over the long term.

Read More: Fawning: Trauma, People-Pleasing, and Healing

The Brain’s Key Areas Affected by Trauma

Trauma affects three major parts of the brain:

1. Amygdala: This is the brain’s “alarm system,” responsible for detecting danger. When trauma occurs, the amygdala becomes highly active, causing the person to feel more fear and stress.
2. Hippocampus: This part of the brain helps with memory and learning. Trauma can shrink the hippocampus, making it harder for someone to form new memories and making traumatic memories feel very vivid.
3. Prefrontal Cortex: The prefrontal cortex is involved in decision-making, problem-solving, and controlling emotions. Trauma can weaken this part of the brain, making it more difficult for a person to think, stay calm, or make good decisions under stress.

Let’s take a closer look at how trauma affects each of these areas.

Read More: Harmful Behaviours that are actually Trauma Response

1. The Amygdala: The Brain’s Alarm System

A small almond-shaped areas in the brain called the amygdala are involved in how our minds process negative emotions such as fear. When a traumatic experience occurs to an individual, it alerts the body to danger and potential threats. Traumatic survivors may have hyper-amygdaloid activity. That is, the brain might continue working as if it is in a war long after the danger has passed and there may be a continuous emotion of fear or alarm. The reason why some survivors develop jittery feelings, panic attacks, or even perpetually remain alert.

2. The Hippocampus: Storing and Retrieving Memories

The hippocampus is responsible for forming new memories and storing old ones. Trauma can affect the hippocampus in two major ways:

• Memory Problems: Trauma can cause atrophy to the hippocampus, effectively disabling memory as well as the ability to form new memories. The traumatized person cannot remember routine facts or might have episodes of memory fog.
• Flashbacks: Traumatic memories can sometimes become incredibly vivid and hard to forget. This is because trauma can cause the hippocampal formation to preserve memories in such a way that they recur. Thus, it’s for this reason that people who have flashbacks find themselves immediately transported back in time to a terrible occurrence.

Read More: Exploring Trauma Dumping: Impact and Coping Strategies

3. The Prefrontal Cortex: Controlling Emotions and Making Decisions

This is the part of the brain known as the prefrontal cortex. When trauma strikes, this region often breaks down, making it very difficult to continue to manipulate emotional responses or rational decision-making behaviour for a little while. This is the main reason survivors of traumatic experiences often cannot keep up their composure in stressful situations or decisions. Flashbacks of traumatic events may continue to send them into easily rushed reactions, feelings of being overwhelmed, and not having easy control of their feelings.

Long-Term Effects of Trauma on the Brain

If someone experiences trauma over a long period or repeatedly (like in cases of chronic abuse or neglect), the changes to the brain can be more severe. Here are some common long-term effects of trauma on brain function:

• Heightened stress responses: The brain becomes stuck in survival mode, causing a person to feel constantly stressed, anxious, or on edge.
• Difficulty managing emotions: Because trauma weakens the prefrontal cortex, it becomes harder to regulate emotions, leading to mood swings, irritability, or depression.
• Hypervigilance: The person is always on high alert, expecting danger at any moment. This can make them feel exhausted, anxious, or paranoid.
• Problems with concentration and memory: Trauma can make it difficult to focus, pay attention, or remember things. This can affect daily life, work, and relationships.
• Trouble with relationships: Trauma can affect how a person connects with others, leading to feelings of isolation or difficulty trusting people.

Read More: How trauma affects emotional development in children?

Can the Brain Heal from Trauma?

The good news is that the brain has an amazing ability to heal, called neuroplasticity. This means that even after trauma, the brain can change and recover, especially with the right support and treatment. Here are some ways people can help their brain heal after trauma:

1. Therapy: Therapy, especially trauma-focused therapy like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), can help a person process traumatic memories, change negative thought patterns, and rebuild healthy brain function. Therapy can also help people learn coping skills to manage their emotions and reactions.
2. Healthy Social Connections: Building and maintaining healthy relationships can be incredibly healing after trauma. Positive social support helps the brain feel safe, reducing the need for constant stress responses. Having people to talk to and rely on can help ease feelings of isolation and fear.
3. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Practices like mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing can help calm the brain’s stress responses. These techniques can lower activity in the amygdala, helping people feel less anxious or overwhelmed. Over time, mindfulness can strengthen the prefrontal cortex, helping with emotional control and decision-making.
4. Healthy Social Connections: Building and maintaining healthy relationships can be incredibly healing after trauma. Positive social support helps the brain feel safe, reducing the need for constant stress responses. Having people to talk to and rely on can help ease feelings of isolation and fear.
5. Good Sleep and Nutrition: Taking care of the body with healthy foods and enough rest helps the brain function better. Sleep is especially important for brain healing because it allows the brain to process emotions, store memories, and repair itself.

Conclusion

Trauma changes the way the brain functions, mainly altering those areas of the brain involved in the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. These may manifest more severely in terms of stress and memory issues, as well as emotional regulation. However, if provided with adequate care and support, the brain is very resilient and heals. There are many avenues that the brain can use to heal itself from trauma, and two key ones are therapy, mindfulness, exercising in some capacity, and perhaps most importantly social contact. Trauma is always seen as scarring the person for life, but everything can still be healed and recovered from.

FAQs

1. How does trauma affect memory?

Trauma can shrink the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. This can result in memory problems, difficulty forming new memories, or vivid, intrusive memories of the traumatic event (flashbacks).

2. Can the brain heal after trauma?

Yes, the brain can heal through a process called neuroplasticity, which allows it to adapt and form new connections. Therapy, mindfulness, exercise, and social support can help the brain recover from trauma.

3. Does trauma only affect emotional well-being?

No, trauma affects both emotional and physical well-being. It can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, sleep problems, and even physical health issues like heart disease and weakened immunity.