New research might help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
Quote:
It is well known that people make very strong memories of stressful, emotionally disturbing events in their lives. These so-called episodic memories are memories of the place (e.g. room, office) or surroundings where the event happened, how we felt at the time (mood), and the time of the day at which it happened. These kind of memories can last a lifetime.
The consolidation of such memories is taking place in a specific limbic brain region called the hippocampus – part of the brain involved in memory and learning. Hormones secreted during stress like the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol (in rodents, corticosterone) act on the hippocampus to enhance the consolidation of these memories. However, until now it has been unknown how these hormones act on the hippocampus to enhance the formation of emotional event-related memories.
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One of the things that individuals who do "not" struggle with PTSD don't comprehend is how someone can be "triggered" and respond without consciously deciding to "respond/react".
If I TRY to explain it "after" I experience a trigger and figure it out so I CAN explain it, the typical response I get is "well, if you know that then don't "
allow" it to bother you or don't "
allow" yourself to react. Well, if ONLY IT WAS THAT EASY.
Many who struggle with PTSD ask "why do it isolate", "why do I avoid" and all the other wonderful symptoms that come with PTSD. The first step is realizing that you are doing these things. Then realizing that you do these things because experiencing a trigger is mentally and physically EXHAUSTING. Also, it can actually take quite some time to figure out "what" might trigger depending on what is involved in a trauma, or many traumas.
For example, my husband caught a bad virus at work, he was sick in bed with it for over a week, then I got it and was also very sick and I did not really get better, I should have gone to the doctor, but I avoid doing that, I avoid it because I have been so traumatized by doctors that it has now become "painful and very hard for me" to go to see a doctor. I can easily experience flashbacks and body memories and sitting in an examining room is VERY triggering. Well, I got so sick that I had to go and am now on a very strong antibiotic. When the doctor came into the examining room, she was nice and said, "wow, I see you have been having a tough time" and I broke down and cried. It was not only what she said, but that she was also nice and that question just filled me with emotion. It's EMBARASSING when that happens.
I MAKE MYSELF go, but it's so very hard, by the time I get home I am utterly exhausted.