For the next two weeks, we will take a deeper look at PTSD.
Did you receive a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Do you feel overwhelmed by that diagnosis? Let me break down what exactly that diagnosis means. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event,” and it defines PTSD as “an anxiety problem that develops in some people after extremely traumatic events.” PTSD is a disorder and is listed in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
How trauma impacts the brain
There are three main areas of the brain impacted by trauma: the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The amygdala is located in the brain’s limbic system, which controls emotions. It helps determine if there is a threat and if there is one, it starts the fight-or-flight response and then helps determine if the threat is removed. The amygdala in a person who has experienced trauma is fine-tuned to seek out threats even if one is safe and activates the fight-or-flight response. The brain of a person who has PTSD gets trapped into a fight-or-flight response loop because his or her amygdala is constantly looking for and perceiving threats everywhere.
The hippocampus is the part of the brain that plays a role in memory function. It interacts constantly with the amygdala. Brain scans reveal that people with PTSD have smaller hippocampi. Memory becomes fragmented in someone experiencing PTSD, and that causes the hippocampus to struggle to piece together memory and integrate the memory of experiences and the feelings those memories cause with facts. Flashbacks result which triggers the amygdala.
The PFC is the part of the brain that regulates behaviors, impulses, emotions, and fear responses. The PFC is less active in those with PTSD and not able to override the hippocampus when it produces flashbacks or sends a signal to the amygdala that the danger is not real.
Healing from PTSD is possible
Healing from PTSD is possible because the brain can be rewired. The process of rewiring the brain is called neuroplasticity. There are several ways you can rewire your brain which are proven to lessen PTSD symptoms. One of those ways is through tapping, also known as emotional freedom technique. With tapping, you tap on acupressure points while stating the problem (the negative part of tapping) and then stating the positive, or how you can cope with the problem. The Tapping Solution app is available for both Android and iPhones. It makes tapping very easy, explaining what you do and providing many tapping sessions.
Another way you can rewire your brain to overcome PTSD is through meditating. There are many different types of meditation. Through apps like Insight Timer, you can explore meditation and find the types that help you. You can also find meditation videos on YouTube. The bottom line is that we live in a time when finding guided meditation is easy.
If you are desperate to begin recovering from PTSD, prayer this prayer:
Oh Lord, I feel overwhelmed by PTSD. Help me to see that recovery is possible. I ask to feel your presence as I do the hard work of recovery. Be as real to me as my face in the mirror. I need You!
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Absolutely fantastic article! If I had read something like this decades ago, I would have felt hopeful much sooner. I praise God for your voice of hope to those suffer PTSD.