Understanding trauma: a personal and neurological perspective
What is “trauma”?
Trauma is a deeply personal experience, defined differently by each individual. There's no right or wrong way to experience or define trauma, and no one deserves to have their pain diminished. What might seem like a minor event to one person could be profoundly distressing to another.
Consider the example from the book "What Happened to You" by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey where a school fire is discussed. For a firefighter, this event might not be traumatic; it's their job to respond to emergencies like this. But for the children who witnessed the fire, it could be a terrifying and life-altering experience, which may stick with them for years to come.
Different people may experience the same event, and each walk away with different degrees of trauma experienced.
How does trauma impact people?
Trauma impacts not only our emotions but also our brains. When we experience trauma, our brain's stress response system kicks into gear, often leaving us stuck in a state of fight, flight, or freeze. This primal response is governed by the "lizard brain," the part of our brain responsible for survival instincts.
Meanwhile, our higher-level thinking, housed in the prefrontal cortex, becomes less active during traumatic experiences. This can make it difficult to process what's happening and to make rational decisions in the moment. And often times, traumatic events are not remembered the same way as day to day events are. There might only be bits and pieces.
Moreover, certain sensory cues associated with the trauma can become "stuck" in the “lizard brain”, ready to be triggered by similar sights, sounds, or smells from when the individual experienced the trauma. For example, the sound of a siren might evoke a trauma response in someone who experienced a past traumatic event, even if there's no immediate danger present. It’s what our brain does to protect us, even though it may no longer serve us.
How can I overcome trauma?
But there is hope. Despite the profound impact of trauma, there are numerous therapy modalities that can help individuals heal and move forward. Talk therapy provides a safe space to explore and process emotions. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy helps reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge. Exposure therapy gradually exposes individuals to the triggers of their trauma in a controlled environment, helping to desensitize their responses over time.
No matter how deeply trauma may have affected us, there are paths to healing. By understanding the nature of trauma and its impact on our brains, we can take the first steps toward reclaiming our lives and finding hope for the future.
