Scientists say PTSD wreaks havoc on the brain’s ability to recall and forget, leading them to refer to it as a disorder of memory.
Maria, my patient, is neatly dressed in a skirt and blouse. Her bright coral nail polish, designer handbag and artful mascara and eyeliner look perfect. Her face, by contrast, is tight and almost devoid of expression; her eyes look terrified. Maria tells me that she is troubled by insomnia and anxiety.
When Maria returns a week later, I am taken aback by her appearance. She is wearing a stained T-shirt, and her hair is tied up in a careless bun. Her speech is stilted, her narrative disjointed. She is drowning in a flood of her traumatic memories of sexual abuse. She keeps recalling situations that had been marred by her uncle’s violations—childhood trips to the park, family birthday celebrations, Thanksgiving dinners and sleepovers. “I have no control.
PTSD wreaks such havoc on how the traumatized brain recalls and forgets that trauma scientists now refer to it as a disorder of memory.There are two types of memory in PTSD. First are the involuntary intrusions that are unwanted, vivid and emotional and involve a sense of reliving the trauma. After a traumatic event, the brain’s natural process of consolidating memories—stabilizing them and allowing them to ripen and mature—goes into overdrive.
But dissociation works against memory by interfering with the coding, storage and retrieval of trauma memories. Survivors may have amnesia as the trauma is forced out of their conscious awareness. On top of that, the protective effects of dissociation dissolve quickly.
Traumatic memories are also stored in the brain alongside the sensory information that was experienced during the trauma—the smell of the air, music that was playing on the radio, the sound of rain on the window. All this information is encoded together in interconnected neural networks called fear structures.
Dismantling these fear structures, bit by bit, is integral to the success of talk therapies. Survivors need to tell their trauma story over and over, under the guidance of a skilled mental health professional, to properly work through it. The unspeakable must be rendered permanently speakable.
Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten, Österreich Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Robert Mueller's possible testimony, explainedAttorney General William Barr said last week that he has no objections to special counsel Robert Mueller appearing before Congress, but President Trump tweeted Sunday that Mueller shouldn't testify. Still, a hearing with Mueller remains on track to happen
Weiterlesen »
California prosecutors investigate L.A. archdiocese's handling of sex abuse casesXavier Becerra's office will review how the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has dealt with any allegations, including whether it followed mandatory reporting requirements to law enforcement, according to a letter reviewed by The Times.
Weiterlesen »
State attorney general investigating L.A. Archdiocese’s handling of sex abuse casesXavier Becerra's office will review how the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has dealt with any allegations, including whether it followed mandatory reporting requirements to law enforcement, according to a letter reviewed by The Times.
Weiterlesen »
Analysis | William Barr has a whole lot of explaining to doIn a letter, Mueller made clear he was unhappy with Barr's summary of his principal conclusions.
Weiterlesen »
Medical examiner: Seven Tennessee homicide victims died from blunt force traumaSeven people, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed in a string of Sumner County homicides over the weekend.
Weiterlesen »
We Need To Talk About What Sansa Stark Said About Her Trauma On 'Game Of Thrones''For the millionth time, rape and abuse of women isn't just character development or a way to show a female character has matured.'
Weiterlesen »
With Mueller on Justice staff, Barr has sway over testimonyWASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Robert Mueller was expected to step down days after concluding his investigation in March. Yet he remains a Justice Department employee — and the department won't say why.
Weiterlesen »
Surprised advisers downplay Trump's tweet about Mueller testimonyWhen Trump declared on Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller “should not testify” before Congress, he caught his inner circle by surprise
Weiterlesen »