Trauma on the Brain: The Neurobiological Effects of PTSD | Daisy Payton | TEDxMeritAcademy

TL;DR

This presentation discusses the personal experience of the speaker, who shares her journey of healing from PTSD caused by an abusive relationship, and highlights the neurobiological effects of trauma.

Transcript

[Applause] in my early 20s I was in an abusive relationship it was unsafe emotionally and physically but it was all that I knew after about 2 years I started to disconnect from myself and I lost touch with who I was the only thing that kept me going was my desire to transfer to the University of San Francisco to study Psychology and Neuroscience I ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧔‍♀️ PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing severe trauma, and it affects both men and women.
• 🤦‍♀️ Women are more likely to develop PTSD due to the types of traumas they commonly face, such as intimate partner violence and sexual abuse.
• 🧠 PTSD rewires and remodels the brain, with the prefrontal cortex becoming hypoactive and the amygdala becoming hyperactive.
• 🔇 The hippocampus, responsible for processing emotion and memory, undergoes volume changes and remodeling in individuals with PTSD.
• 😃 Treating PTSD involves a comprehensive approach that addresses both the brain and body, including medication, therapy, and eye movement desensitization reprocessing.
• 🆘 Understanding the neurobiological effects of trauma can help reduce shame and stigma surrounding PTSD.
• 👩‍⚕️ Raising awareness about the prevalence of abuse and PTSD in women is crucial to supporting survivors and advocating for better access to mental health care.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some common symptoms of PTSD?

Common symptoms include heightened anxiety, exaggerated startle response, trembling, excessive sweating, rapid heart rate, intrusive thoughts, negative flashbacks, nightmares, significant negative mood changes, and avoidance of trauma reminders.

Q: Why are women more likely to develop PTSD?

Women face traumas such as intimate partner violence and sexual abuse, with 50% of survivors developing PTSD. These high rates contribute to their higher likelihood of developing PTSD compared to men.

Q: How does PTSD impact the brain structures involved?

In PTSD, the prefrontal cortex becomes hypoactive, while the amygdala becomes hyperactive. The hippocampus, responsible for processing emotion and memory, also undergoes volume changes and remodeling due to constant stress hormone flooding.

Q: What are some effective treatments for PTSD?

Treatments for PTSD include a combination of medication (e.g., antidepressants) to regulate the body, cognitive behavioral therapy to modify thoughts and behaviors, and eye movement desensitization reprocessing to reframe trauma processing.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker shares her experience of being in an abusive relationship, losing touch with herself, and finding healing through psychology and neuroscience studies.

• PTSD is developed after experiencing or witnessing a severe trauma, such as threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violation.

• Symptoms of PTSD include heightened arousal, re-experiencing trauma, negative mood changes, and avoidance of trauma reminders.