The Effects Of Trauma On The Brain

Trauma can impact us in various ways, including physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. The following outlines the effects of trauma on the brain in three crucial areas, and the resulting impacts.

The effects of trauma on the brain are highlighted in three areas in an illustration of the brain

Amygdala: Alarm System

The amygdala is helpful and protective in dangerous situations because it turns on before we even know it, putting us on alert to keep ourselves safe. Sometimes, though, the amygdala can have a tough time turning off, when our brain continues to think we may be in danger. When this happens, our bodies can experience things like anxiety, hypervigilance (feeling on edge all the time), avoidance of things that remind us of the trauma, or becoming easily startled or scared. When we are constantly on guard, it can be hard to do things like let our guard down even when we are safe or need to sleep.

Hippocampus and Limbic System: Emotional Brain

The hippocampus is responsible for memory and learning in the brain; it works like a librarian, marking memories with context by recording when and where things happened. When we have a traumatic experience, the hippocampus may be impacted. The time, location, or order of events may not be marked correctly, leaving us with “fuzzy” memories, things that don’t make sense, or missing memories. When we experience triggers that remind us of the traumatic event, it can feel like the event is happening again (flashbacks, or nightmares if we are sleeping). The hippocampus can have trouble calming down the amygdala because the danger feels real during a flashback.

Pre-frontal Cortex: Thinking Brain

The Pre-Frontal Cortex is responsible for controlling behaviour, emotions, impulses, decision-making, empathy, and awareness of others and ourselves. Usually this part of our brain lets us think clearly, make rational decisions, and have awareness in our day-to-day life. After something traumatic happens, this part of the brain is under-activated. This may leave someone who has experienced trauma feeling irritable, numb, with less control over anger, struggling to concentrate or pay attention, and making more impulsive decisions.

It is important to remember that the effects of trauma on the brain are not permanent. It is possible to move forward and heal from the trauma over time. In counselling, you will learn about strategies to work toward this, including skills to calm down (called grounding), such as breathing, relaxation, distraction, mindfulness, and meditation.

Definitions

Child Sexual Abuse

The improper exposure of a child to any sexual contact, activity, or behaviour. This includes all sexual touching, the invitation to touch, exhibitionism, exposure to pornography.

Coercion

Forcing another individual, through violence, threats (physical or emotional), pressure, deception, guilt, to engage in sexual activities against their will.

Consent

A voluntary agreement between 2 or more people to engage in sexual activity. Consent must be clear, informed, voluntary, sober, act and person-specific, ongoing, mutual, active, and come directly from the individuals engaging in the sexual contact. It is impossible to get consent from children, though close-in-age  and peer-experimentation exceptions exist for youth ages 12-15.

Consent Culture

A society or environment in which obtaining consent and respecting boundaries is the norm, for both sexual contact and everyday activities.

Feminism

The advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.

An intersectional approach to service delivery that acknowledges that the root of sexual violence is power inequality and works to reduce barriers that groups and individuals face when seeking support and volunteer or employment opportunities.

Non-Consensual Photo Sharing

When an intimate photo or video is shared or taken without the voluntary consent (read consent definition above) of the person in the photo or video (Source: savedmonton.com)

Person-First Language

Person-first language recognizes that a person is more than any one experience and that labels are sometimes harmful. People who have experienced sexual violence may use terms like victim or survivor to describe themselves, or they may use words like offender or perpetrator to describe the person who harmed them. Terms that resonate for one person may not fit for another person for a variety of reasons, and SACE supports a person’s right to self-determine their identity and experience. This is why at SACE, we default to person-first language such as “person who experienced sexual assault”, or “person who used abusive behavior”, unless speaking with or about an individual who has identified how they would like their experience to be talked about.

Rape Culture

A society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse.

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a form of sexual exploitation. Human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation is a crime and Canada has specific legislation in the Criminal Code (S. 279) and in the IRPA (Immigrant and Refugee Protection Action) (S. 117 & 118) to address all types of human trafficking (sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, organ, debt servitude) There are three elements to constitute human trafficking: Action + Means + Purpose.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is most often used to refer to Child Sexual Abuse. To learn more about this, read the definition above or our section on Child Sexual Abuse.

Sexual Assault

Any form of sexual contact without voluntary consent, including unwanted: oral contact (kissing); sexual touching; oral-genital contact; and/or vaginal or anal penetration. 

Sexual Exploitation

Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

Sexual Harassment

Any unwanted comment, gesture, or action that is sexual in nature that makes someone feel afraid, embarrassed, uncomfortable or ashamed. The intention of the person doing the action doesn’t matter, it’s the negative impact the action has that makes something sexual harassment.

Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is an umbrella term that refers to any form of non-consensual sexual behavior, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, and sexual violence facilitated through technology.

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Healing isn't linear

Sometimes flashbacks or other trauma symptoms come back or worsen, weeks or even years after a traumatic experience. This can feel defeating or frustrating, like we haven’t progressed or healed at all. It’s important to understand that this is normal, and the brain’s way of reprocessing or reorganizing old memories. While this can present a short-term setback, the mind is reorganizing the memories from a different perspective, with more distance from the event and informed by the current situation or growth that may have happened since. If trauma memories or symptoms come up for someone again, it can be a sign that we they need more self-care or supports, or additional counselling to support the work the subconscious is doing.