Understanding Trauma: Effects on the Brain, Daily Life, and Management Strategies
Trauma is a profound and often overwhelming experience that can have lasting effects on an individual’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of trauma and its impact on mental health, leading to an increase in trauma-related research, a surge in books on the subject, and the adoption of trauma-informed care in psychotherapy. Understanding the basics of trauma is crucial in recognizing its signs, fostering empathy, and promoting healing.
What is Trauma?
According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is "an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war, and more" (APA). Trauma is extremely prevalent in society; 64% of Canadian adults reported being exposed to at least one potentially traumatic event during their life in a 2021 survey (Statistics Canada, 2022). A traumatic event can have short- and long-term effects on one’s mental health at any point in their lives and can lead to mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other co-occurring disorders. However, experiencing trauma does not necessarily mean you will develop a mental illness or PTSD, as only 5% of Canadians report having PTSD diagnosed by a health professional, and around 8% of Canadians meet the criteria for PTSD in the DSM-5 (Statistics Canada, 2022).
Although all traumatic events can have a negative impact, some events are more intense and severe than others. Some like to define different traumatic events as “Big T” and “Little t” traumas. Big T traumas are usually life-threatening events, such as being the victim of a violent crime, a serious accident, or chronic (ongoing) trauma like repeated abuse or neglect. Little t traumas refer to events that don’t involve violence or disaster but do create significant distress, like a breakup or being rejected by a friend group (Newport Institute, 2022).
What Does Trauma Do to the Brain?
When we experience a traumatic event, it creates biological changes in the brain. To understand how trauma impacts the brain, we highlight three main parts of the brain: the prefrontal cortex (the thinking/noticing part of the brain), the amygdala (the emotional memory centre), and the brain stem (which controls basic life functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure).
When the event happens, our thinking brain shuts down. This means we are no longer able to think or navigate the situation as we normally would in daily life. When this happens, a signal is sent to our emotional memory center saying “DANGER,” which then makes the brain stem take over our body, resulting in the fight, flight, or freeze response. Your brain will make a split-second decision on whether you can fight the danger, flee from the danger, or, if neither option is feasible, freeze (which can look like going numb, dissociating, or fainting in extreme cases) to survive the danger.
After the traumatic event has passed, your brain can remain in a state of hypervigilance, where your emotional center is overworking, sending signals to the amygdala that there are potential threats or dangers in sight. In other words, you constantly feel on edge because your brain is now programmed to think that the trauma will happen again. This means your thinking brain is turning off more than it should, and you can go into a fight/flight/freeze response much easier, making daily life much harder to navigate.
How Can Trauma Affect my Life?
Trauma can affect day-to-day life in many different ways, including mental instability, emotional volatility, difficulty maintaining relationships, and physical health issues. Trauma can make it difficult for an individual to fall or stay asleep, sometimes leading to chronic insomnia due to flashbacks, nightmares, or night terrors, which makes it difficult to perform at school or work or attend appointments. You can feel confused, overwhelmed, irritable, angry, panicked, guilty, or shameful. Trust issues, withdrawing from others, detaching from feelings, or lashing out can negatively affect relationships. Since trauma is stored in your body, headaches, GI issues, chronic pain, and sensitivity to smell, noise, or touch can occur. Small, everyday occurrences or unassuming things can trigger memories of the trauma, making daily life unbearable if you are unable to cope.
Will Trauma Ever Go Away?
Although we may never be able to rid ourselves of the memory of our trauma, we can learn to manage and cope with our symptoms and make meaning of our trauma to move forward and live a healthy, positive life. Here are some key steps to consider if you have experienced trauma:
Seek professional help
Talk to your doctor to rule out any medical conditions that may have resulted from the trauma, get a medical procedure if needed, and to talk about medication if desired, and speak to a mental health professional experienced in trauma
Reach out for support
Trauma can feel incredibly isolating and it’s important to avoid further isolation and withdrawal from your community. Talk to trusted friends or family members about your experience, or join support groups in the community for individuals who have experienced similar trauma.
Practice self-care
Ensure you’re eating well, getting enough sleep, engaging in mindful movement to release the trauma out of your body, engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, practice mindfulness, breathing exercises, or grounding techniques to stay connected to the present moment.
Set boundaries
Avoid avoidable suffering - limit your exposure to situations that are stressful or can lead to risky behaviours, and people that may trigger trauma-related symptoms
Avoid self-medicating
Refrain from using alcohol, drugs, or other harmful behaviours to cope with your trauma - it will likely make you feel worse and exacerbate your symptoms
Stay patient and compassionate with yourself
Healing from trauma takes time. Accept and recognize that your feelings are valid, be kind and patient with yourself throughout the process
Develop a safety plan and a list of emergency contacts
Create a plan to ensure your safety and well-being, especially if the trauma is ongoing or recent. Have a list of emergency contacts, including crisis hotlines and local emergency services if you are struggling and need immediate help. Here are some resources to have on hand:
Canada Suicide Prevention Service:
1-833-456-4566 or www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto
416-408-4357 or www.dcogt.com/
Kids Help Phone - Youth mental health support available 24/7
1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868
CMHA Drug & Alcohol Helpline
1-800-565-8603
Trevor Lifeline - LGBTQ+ sensitive trained counsellors, for people 25 and under
1-866-488-7386
Trans Lifeline - Transgender Suicide Hotline
1-877-330-6366
Talk4Healing - A helpline by Indigenous women for Indigenous women
1-855-554-HEAL (4325)
Assaulted Women’s Helpline:
TOLL-FREE: 1-866-863-0511
TOLL FREE TTY: 1-866-863-7868
#SAFE (#7233) on your Bell, Rogers, Fido or Telus Mobile
Sources
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Trauma. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma
Statistics Canada. (2022). Experiences of discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220520/dq220520b-eng.htm
Newport Institute. (2022). Big T vs. Little T Trauma: The Impact of Different Types of Trauma. Retrieved from https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/mental-health/big-t-little-t-trauma/
National Council for Behavioral Health. (2022). Trauma infographic. Retrieved from https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Trauma-infographic.pdf
Written by: Paula Ghelman, MSW, RSW
