Now, I’m not a neuroscientist or hold a psychology degree but I have found whilst working in the mental health arena, it is handy to know a bit about the brain and particularly what happens to us under high stress and trauma from a psychological and physiological perspective.
I have tried to simplify explanations about the function of the Amygdala and Hippocampus in terms of exposure to traumatic events and highly stressful situations. So, here we go…
The Amygdala
The Amygdala (shaped like an almond) is nestled deep inside the limbic system – the part of the brain which seems primarily in control of memory formation and emotions. The Amygdala is specifically important when it comes to detecting fear and enables us to react (fight, flight, freeze) in an attempt to keep safe, alerting us of danger.
The Amygdala is like a highly effective scanner, processing information in our environment and can fire off within 0.4 of a second.
Sometimes however, the Amygdala sets off the alarm when there is no real danger in the here and now as it is acting on a memory of a past traumatic event triggered by something in the immediate environment – a sound, smell, sight or other sense. Our bodies are then flooded with adrenalin and we are needlessly prepared to react causing a potential build up of the stress hormone cortisol.
The Hippocampus
The Hippocampus works alongside the Amygdala and date stamps and logs our memories – a bit like a librarian.
In a potentially traumatic situation however, the Hippocampus is not as effective and does not function at it best. It can be overwhelmed and log things in the wrong place with incorrect information which is why a memory of a traumatic time can feel as though it is happening again by way of intrusive thoughts, flashbacks and other re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms.
The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)
Located at the front of the frontal lobe is the ‘new kid on the block’ as it is the youngest part of the brain. It is associated with concentration, decision-making, awareness and our sense of wrong and right – pretty much everything we need to function in society and maintain our humanity.
Like the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex can struggle to function at its best when exposed to high stress and traumatic situations. The effects of this can cause us to feel disconnected from our social support, symptoms such as irritability and snappiness can occur.
Calming the fight and flight response and ultimately the nervous system by slowing the amygdala is one thing but the prefrontal cortex also needs investment. It is possible to strengthen the PFC – here are a few ways to do this:
- Staying connected – understanding the importance of social support and the value of friends, family and colleagues and how much better and balanced we can feel by knowing who to turn to and when.
- Mindfulness – a way of quietening the mind and learning to view your self in a more non-judgemental light.
- Seeking help – exploring options for therapy can be a very good way of improving your coping strategies and boosting your self awareness to be able to spot the signs sooner if you have a dip in your mental health.