What is going on up there? The brain on trauma.
Dealing with and healing from trauma can be helped by understanding what is going on in the traumatized brain. Here is a quick look at some of the major players in the brain and what they do as we tackle trauma.
The amygdala. Fear Central. The amygdala is the part of the brain that observes all of the input that we can receive through our nervous system and senses and it determines whether a particular situation, people, or events are threatening or dangerous. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and his colleagues (we'll hear more about these folks) christened the amygdala the “smoke detector”. One of the primary goals of trauma treatment is to reduce this area of the brain’s activity in order to reduce one’s reactions to triggering events such as being on guard, or angry episodes.
The insula. Perception Central. Now we have to use some complex terms: interoception and proprioception. Proprioception refers to our ability to know where our body is in space and to help us maintain balance. For example, when you walk you know where your legs are even with your eyes closed. Interoception is our ability to notice what's going on internally and be aware of sensations within the body. Some examples might be when I notice hunger, when I notice I am warm or even nervous. In the treatment of trauma, we often find that the insula is dysregulated which can get in the way of dealing with distressing physical sensations and emotions.
The hippocampus. Memory Central. Often, courtesy of Dr. van der Kolk, we will refer to the hippocampus as the time keeper. The hippocampus can be imagined as someone who puts a time stamp on memories, helping me to recall which event in memory came in what order. This helps me experience historical events as things having happened in the past and not here and now. Very often in the case of trauma this part of the brain becomes less active and organized. It can be observed to be smaller than others who have not experienced trauma or severe anxiety. The implication for trauma work is the need to reactivate the hippocampus allowing it to become more robust and effective. This is helpful in that it can reduce one’s fear when triggering events occur and allows one to feel safe in the here and now. Interestingly, the hippocampus is one of a very few parts of the brain that can reconstitute itself. That is very useful when working with trauma.
The prefrontal cortex. Thought Central. For simplicity’s sake we'll call it the PFC. The PFC is comprised of a couple of smaller structures and can be considered as the thinking part of the brain. The PFC serves several functions such as allowing us to concentrate, to make decisions, and allows us to be aware of ourselves and others. These abilities are compromised in the traumatized brain and the goal in trauma work is to enhance the activation of the PFC.
The cingulate cortex. Self Regulation Central. This structure, and if we want to split hairs the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) or the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex(dACC), is included in conflict monitoring, error detection, and regulating our thoughts and emotions. In the traumatized brain this area is often under active which can make problems with emotion regulation, thought regulation and decision making. When we can increase activation in this area, a person will experience improved ability to regulate painful or unhelpful feelings and to manage distressing thoughts.
So that is a very quick rundown of some of the more critical areas of the brain involved in dealing with trauma. We'll get a little more in depth about their function and treatment goals in further posts.
If you should feel you might like some assistance in healing from any traumatic events you may have experienced over time, don't hesitate to give me a call at Total Life Counseling, 540-989-1383; or contact me via our website at www.tlcincva.com.