How Trauma Affects the Brain and Body
What is trauma?
Trauma is an emotional and physiological response to an overwhelming event perceived as a threat to personal safety or well-being. This event exceeds the individual’s capacity to cope, causing significant repercussions on mental, emotional and sometimes physical health. This blog will explore How Trauma Affects the Brain and Body in more detail.
Different Types Of Trauma
The nature and duration of exposure can classify trauma: Type I (Acute Trauma): Stemming from a single incident (e.g., accidents, natural disasters, or assaults), acute trauma can lead to PTSD or acute stress disorder; and Type II (Complex or Chronic Trauma): Repeated exposure to traumatic events over time (such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or prolonged neglect) can result in complex PTSD (C-PTSD), deeply affecting personality, emotional regulation, and self-perception.
The Brain’s Response To A Traumatic Event
During a traumatic event, the body activates a ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ response via the sympathetic nervous system, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This heightens alertness, increases heart rate, and prepares the body for action. The amygdala, responsible for detecting threats, becomes hyperactive, intensifying fear. Meanwhile, the hippocampus, which processes memories, may become less active, causing confusion and difficulty distinguishing between past and present. This disruption can leave the brain in a state of constant alert, making even minor triggers—such as sounds or images, feel like new threats. As a result, individuals may experience anxiety attacks, dissociation, or other symptoms, either consciously or unconsciously.
Childhood Trauma Effects On Youngsters
Childhood trauma has a particular impact on the brain because children are still growing and developing. Disruptions during this critical period can alter the growth and function of essential brain regions, namely the amygdala (increased activity can lead to heightened emotional sensitivity and hypervigilance); hippocampus (prolonged stress can reduce hippocampal volume, impairing memory formation and increasing susceptibility to anxiety and depression) and prefrontal cortex (underdevelopment in this area can hinder impulse control, attention regulation, and emotional stability). Childhood experiences have repercussions in adulthood, influencing our perception of our safety, relationships, abilities and self-confidence.
What Trauma Can Do To The Brain
Trauma can disrupt neural communication between key brain regions, impairing cognitive and emotional regulation. This imbalance alters cerebral functions and can cause problems such as insomnia. We can also observe an increase in the activity of the amygdala. The amygdala, a key structure in the brain’s threat detection system, becomes hyperactive, heightening fear responses and emotional reactivity. This hyperactivity increases sensitivity to perceived threats, contributing to hypervigilance and emotional dysregulation. Prolonged stress, particularly in PTSD, can impair the hippocampus, affecting memory formation and the ability to distinguish between past and present experiences. PTSD can disrupt the brain’s reward system by diminishing dopamine production, reducing motivation and interest in previously enjoyable activities (anhedonia).
Trauma And Its Impact On The Body
Trauma leaves deep scars, not only on the psychological level, but also on the body, where it can develop into long-term health problems. Persistent stress triggers a system caloric-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in elevated cortisol levels and widespread inflammation. This dysregulation contributes to a wide range of health conditions, including: cardiovascular issues (increased risk of heart disease and hypertension), chronic pain syndromes (conditions such as fibromyalgia and migraines are often linked to unresolved trauma), gastrointestinal disorders (trauma can exacerbate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease), immune dysfunction (prolonged stress can weaken the immune system, increasing vulnerability to infections and autoimmune diseases) and reproductive and sexual health (trauma can contribute to sexual dysfunction, irregular menstrual cycles, and fertility issues).
The Physical Effects In The Body
These physical effects often originate in the way in which the trauma is “stored“ in the body. Traumatic experiences can manifest as muscle tension, vague sensations, or automatic physical reactions. The brain may separate physical sensations from conscious memories to protect itself, creating a lasting disconnect from the body. This disconnection can make it hard for trauma survivors to recognise necessary bodily signals like hunger, tiredness, or even pain, leaving them feeling out of touch with themselves.
Conclusion
Trauma doesn’t just affect the mind – it leaves a lasting imprint on the body. Post-traumatic stress profoundly disrupts brain function, altering emotions, behaviour, memory, and the ability to connect with others. Its physical effects can also interfere with everyday life, making recovery even more challenging. This information highlights the critical need for timely and effective treatment to address trauma’s far-reaching impact and support healing on every level.
References
Condamin, C. (2009). Trauma, resilience and body memory. A case study of a sexually abused child, a projective and theoretical-clinical approach. Bulletin de psychologie, Edition 503 (5), 457-466. https://doi.org/10.3917/bupsy.503.0457 .
Enora-Teyssendier. (s. d.). The invisible scars: Exploring the consequences of psychotrauma on the brain. Enora Teyssendier.https://enora-teyssendier.com/impact-des-psychotraumatismes-sur-le-cerveau
Pilon M. F., Hallford D. J., Hardgrove S., Sanam M., Oliveira S., Karantzas G. C., Tyler D.. « Remembering for Relationships: Brief Cognitive-Reminiscence Therapy Improves Young Adults’ Perceptions About Self and Others in Social Relationships », Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2023/3.
Kieffer, I. (2023, 11 mai). Trauma and its impact on the brain. Isabelle Kieffer. https://www.psychologue-kieffer.lu/les-effets-du-traumatisme-psychologique-sur-le-cerveau/
