Discover How Trauma Rewires the Brain

Discover How Trauma Rewires the Brain
#neuroscience #psychology #trauma

The Neurobiological Impact of Psychological Trauma: Understanding the Impact of #Trauma on the Brain #ptsd #NCMHCE
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Introduction and overview of trauma and the HPA axis – 00:00
Defining trauma and its impact on individuals – 00:33
Differentiating between trauma and traumatic injury – 01:06
Overview of the HPA axis and its role in stress response – 01:38
Research on PTSD and physiological changes in the brain – 02:15
Neurobiological changes caused by trauma – 02:47
Effects of traumatic experiences on the hippocampus – 03:20
Individual responses to trauma and perception of stressors – 03:50
The importance of social support during trauma – 04:27
Impact of age and resilience on trauma response – 04:58
The role of social supports for children – 05:29
Trauma reactions in children and the need for support – 06:01
Reactions in people with prior trauma – 07:15
The role of hypocortisolism in trauma response – 07:48
The importance of recovery resources before trauma – 08:24
The effects of ongoing mental health issues on trauma response – 09:00
Social support during the first 24 hours after trauma – 09:35
Processing trauma and emotional support after 72 hours – 10:11
The normalcy of trauma responses – 10:44
How prolonged HPA activation affects the brain – 11:15
How cortisol impacts immune and digestive systems – 12:24
Effects of prolonged HPA activation on mood and energy – 13:36
Fatigue as a response to chronic HPA axis activation – 14:45
Managing blood sugar and glucose levels under stress – 15:49
Chronic stress leading to reduced cortisol levels – 17:28
Introduction to hypocortisolism in PTSD – 18:01
How hypocortisolism impacts energy conservation and emotional dysregulation – 18:34
Neurochemical changes and excitotoxicity in PTSD – 19:40
Effect of glutamate on memory and learning – 20:47
Norepinephrine’s role in hypervigilance and memory encoding – 21:51
How ketamine interacts with NMDA receptors to reduce stress – 22:56
Glutamate’s harmful effects and hippocampal shrinkage – 24:10
Endogenous opioids in PTSD and emotional numbing – 24:45
Naltrexone’s potential in treating dissociation – 25:50
Risks of opioid addiction in PTSD patients – 26:53
Reduced hippocampal volume as a feature of PTSD – 27:30
Hyperactivation of the amygdala in response to trauma cues – 28:10
Impact of early childhood trauma on brain development – 29:13
HPA axis dysfunction as a predictor of PTSD – 31:00
How early trauma alters neurobiological responses – 32:00
Chronic HPA axis activation and its effects – 32:35
Dysregulation of neurotransmitters in PTSD – 33:43
Norepinephrine’s influence on trauma responses – 34:49
Serotonin’s role in emotional regulation – 35:20
The complexity of serotonin receptors in PTSD – 35:53
Glutamate and NMDA receptors in trauma recovery – 38:11
Excitotoxicity and brain cell damage from stress – 38:43
Neuroplasticity and trauma recovery – 39:14
Endogenous opioids’ role in trauma-related dissociation – 41:29
Self-medication with opioids in trauma survivors – 42:01
Neurobiological effects of PTSD on the hippocampus – 42:38
Functional changes in brain structures from trauma – 43:46
Borderline personality disorder and emotional dysregulation – 44:55
How hippocampal shrinkage may contribute to PTSD vulnerability – 46:03
The amygdala’s hypersensitivity in PTSD – 47:09
Effects of prenatal stress on brain development – 48:14
Chronic stress exposure and its lasting impact on brain function – 49:19
Resilience and neuroplasticity in trauma recovery – 49:54
Heightened emotional reactivity in trauma survivors – 50:30
Strategies for emotional regulation in PTSD – 51:10
Mindfulness and cognitive restructuring in trauma treatment – 51:44
The importance of proper nutrition, sleep, and circadian rhythm – 52:15
The effect of caffeine and nicotine on stress responses – 52:50
Understanding the brain’s energy conservation mechanisms – 53:20
Emotional reactivity and trauma prevention – 54:30
Early intervention to prevent trauma’s long-term effects – 55:20

[bethphillips]

I suffered trauma as a child, which I never had any outlet for expressing. I married out of fear of being alone, created the family I never had, but desperately wanted. Suppressed all of my pain until now, when my children are grown, marriage dissolved. I'm alone, feeling pain and fear that I've hidden from for so long. COVID hysteria, job loss, the uncertainty of this "new normal" society has triggered severe anxiety and depression about my future. I'm struggling to move forward.

[truescotsman]

i realized at one point that psychological trauma was causing brain damage. i could feel it after having an emotional outburst after psychological stress. it takes anywhere from a few hours to up to 4 days to clear sometimes as long at 2 weeks or longer. trying to control your reaction to stress is the key. its not easy.

[illumi-naughty]

Thanks for this. I was brutalized and terrorized as a child. I had a gun held to my head many times and one time it discharged. It gave me shell shock, destroying my nervous system causing brain damage. Understanding this takes the blame off myself because I usually can't keep up with most people in daily life. And it makes me feel inept. I don't have the money for PTSD counseling. Just learning about this helps me. 🙏

[Brokanglass]

I was struck by a homeless man across my face with a 2x4 this past summer..since then all my past traumas and head injuries have been resurfacing and I'm now in full fledged HPA axis activation which prior to this video i had no idea what that was. Ive been suffering for months with increased pain anxiety depression no social support outside of my wife and a whole list of prior traumas piled up prior to the head injury. finding this information is providing a lot of answers that i didn't have before. Ive been more short with my wife and kids to the point where its breaking down my self esteem quite significantly. Ive been aware Ive needed help but with no resources and no real answers. this information may be life saving. thank you.

[heatherreynolds]

My father started this, from infancy i have been stressed. My sister and mother combined with him set me up for a lifetime of emotional and mental abuse. But halfway through I can see the end of the road as you say. Never thought there was another way to be

[michaelsergejhelgesson]

It is sooo difficult to live with
PTSD. It almost drives you
crazy. Outside my world
- as for you - it is 2021.
But for me, it is still 1988
The past 33 years are just
a blur, though I've tried to
lead a normal life....

[bizzybeccabee]

After watching this video, I have more clarity on how my PTSD symptoms aren’t always in my emotional control because so much is going on in the brain and I live with daily chronic stress. It helps me feel less negative about myself and my healing journey.

I am curious about my brain and it’s levels of hormones and how they change when I have triggers, flashbacks, or dysregulation. It is a relief to know that these cycles I consistently go through have an explanation.

What really resonated for me was your explanation about the flat period when the body lowers the cortisol. I always go through a period of feeling practically nothing after experiencing multiple triggers in a short period of time. I call these recovery periods. Last time I went to a family event, it took me almost a week to recover. I have been living like this for so long I wouldn’t even know what a balanced life feels like.

I am constantly living a rollercoaster of emotions. I have energy for a little bit, then a stress response to something and I’m fatigued and exhausted for days to weeks until my energy levels increase again only for a short period of time before a new stress response sends me back into the cycle.

I am so grateful to have come across this information today. Thank you for sharing.

[ryanbellegrave]

I don’t believe in coincidence, but I absolutely believe that you find the things you ask for. You are that thing. I’m currently going through a fairly hellish bout of medical anxiety after suffering relatively mild muscular injuries from a car crash. I’m not sleeping, my digestion is trashed, etc. These videos help me identify what is happening and that is so powerful. Thank you. 🙏

[angeliqueguerra]

My dad was killed in a work accident as a lineman for an electric company when my mom was 4 months pregnant with me. I've asked her how she dealt with that, also having 3 sons ages 3 to 6. She said she kept her grief inside. I said "That's where I was!" I've always suspected that's where my mental issues started but could never get a confirmation from a doctor.

[priscilla]

I am a flight person I run when things are overloading. I can't function in a regular world so I keep to myself.
Many times when I have to do important things when my brain gets overloaded I fall asleep and get sleepy and shut down. People do not understand me. I found this video which is an answer to my prayer. I thought I was going crazy.

[kellyorator]

i am sane because of these lecture, thank you Dr. Dawn

[pcmdenault]

Dr.Dawn, this lecture should be mandatory for everyone in government and lawyers ...ppl in govt who policy-subvert disabled rights via parameters on provision of supports/services and/or ppl in direct management of govt programs/services who violate disabled rights by lack of appropriate response to disability needs, lack of intellect/education of disability and resulting disability needs, actually exacerbate disablement and disability coping capability by failure to provide needed supports/services. This is particularly true of neurologically injured disabled who are already in survival and HPA mode already from physical disability struggle to cope to survive. The current trend of govt is to put the least intelligent person into govt positions which address the disabled people needs which increases the abuses of disabled persons' disability rights. This includes care workers in the community who are case-overloaded by profiteering corporate healthcare and support services.

Government needs to be awakened to the fact that their deprivation of appropriate supports/services needs of the disabled actually cause further disablement and thereby ultimate costs increases to government (since govt is only concerned about money/cost/budget, and not the wellbeing of their citizens).

Bad quality, too little or inappropriate disability support/service actually violates ADA etc Disability Rights laws by causing worsening of disability, maximizing incapacity or inability.

[gurugirl]

Our cpstd is something we all learnt some tools that others may never gain. Like resilience, intuition, body language and micro moments on another's face, ya know expression. Empathy and compassion are great strengths, through triggers we now need to refocus the positive character traits we own, through horrific terrifying early years, wow, there's alot of us. We are not alone, we are loving, loveable and loved ❤️

[ljb]

This will help others be more compassionate toward others. It can be a real physical problem, in some cases, starting in the mind, cycling back to the brain causing mental distress. Distress upon distress. If a person doesn't know how to deal with it properly, and those around them don't know either, then society is the worse for it, generation after generation, missing out on the gifts these beautiful people have locked inside of them!

[tj]

I have experienced several traumatic experiences within the last few years. This explains a lot of what I have been going through with some health issues. Thank you!

[betsyowers]

Wow.. I feel like I've been waiting for this all my long life.. Timing..
Just coming out of a trauma.. Sexual assault.. I needed to understand what was happening in my body.. Frozen from the neck down.. Thankyou

[StephaniRoberts]

This explains so much!! Thank you! Leaving toxic relationships and abusive situations seems so positive but often we carry the physical/emotional memory of that experience right along with us and though we’re FREE, we still FEEL very much stuck and threatened. It’s extremely confusing and many of tend to blame ourselves for not being able to function at the level we should now that he or she is out of our daily life. I’ll be sharing this with my audience. If you ever do interviews, I’d love to feature you.

This is eye opening and underscores the importance of urgent mental health support for that critical period after escaping or leaving abuse. Thank you!!!

[pisceananarchyvortex]

Interesting about it being healthy to be able to see the finish line. When the abusive people in power want to control you, they make sure you can't see it. Or keep changing where it is. Same with my ex, who throws a new threat in every time I am showing signs that I'm doing really well.

[Qw]

This is the most useful information that I've received on Youtube for a long time. Doctor you're very passionate about what you're doing, this is why you're good at it! Keep it up! The world needs people like you. I'm more informed now on medicine and traumas thanks to you.

[jonahlefholtz]

I've got insomnia tonight – or, this morning, and pretty much every time I'm supposed to go to sleep, but anyway – I stumbled on this video. I've got C-PTSD, and am a survivor of severe, ongoing childhood trauma that culminated in a dissociative disorder in adulthood. And I think in my 20s and early 30s (I am 41 now) I seemed to attract traumatic experiences and relationships somehow, though I've gotten better at boundaries and befriending and being, romantically, with "safer" people with age. I've had a lovely relationship with a fellow trauma survivor for the last 7 years and it has helped me to stabilize immensely.

I'd like to thank you, as I feel like this video helped me make sense of a lot of things. I used to wake up with my heart pounding, every morning, with my heart pounding. I relied on valium and also self-medicated with alcohol (I self-medicated until about 6 years ago, I don't drink anymore) to try and feel normal and less terrified all the time. My cortisol levels were sky-high most of my life. However, my body barely has any anymore. It's so low my PCP wants me to go to an endocrinologist to see if I have Addison's Disease. I have wondered if the excessive cortisol production kind of made my adrenals just crap out. I'm exhausted all the time. I get sick so easily. I have IBS-C and IBS-D. I had early onset arthritis that started in my 20s that has gotten so, so, so bad the last few years.

This is a great point for me to start researching causes for my physiological response with my PCP and future endocrinologist.