{"id":2196,"date":"2013-10-28T11:24:15","date_gmt":"2013-10-28T18:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.elizabethbader.com\/elizabethbadersblog\/?p=2196"},"modified":"2022-06-17T20:18:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-18T03:18:06","slug":"trauma-101-and-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elizabethbader.com\/elizabethbadersblog\/trauma-101-and-ptsd\/","title":{"rendered":"Trauma 101: Physiology & Causes of PTSD"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fleeing<\/a>
Fleeing danger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This post discusses the causes of PTSD and the “defense cascade” of\u00a0 fight, flight<\/em> and freeze —\u00a0 <\/em>often described as the basic mechanism of the mammalian response to trauma.<\/p>\n

As discussed in future posts, understanding the basic biology of trauma has tremendous consequences for conflict resolution<\/a> and spirituality<\/a> in addition to its\u00a0 importance for recovery from trauma<\/a> and healing PTSD<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0 work of\u00a0 Levine<\/a>, Porges,<\/a> Cannon and Schauer and Elbert will inform this discussion.<\/p>\n

CAVEAT:<\/strong>\u00a0 If\u00a0 you find contemplating the details of trauma potentially upsetting,\u00a0even in the abstract, please look away, and consider seeking a practitioner for help.<\/p>\n

Neuroception:\u00a0 Are You Friend or Foe? <\/b><\/h3>\n
\"Stephen<\/a>
Stephen Porges, PhD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Stephen Porges, Ph.D<\/a>., has noted, \u201cthe perception of safety is the turning point in the development of relationships for most mammals.\u201d (Porges, 2011, p. 175).<\/p>\n

Porges<\/a> has coined the term \u201cneuroception\u201d to describe the process by which neural circuits distinguish whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life threatening.\u00a0 (Porges, 2011, p. 11). \u00a0 This process is continual but takes place outside of awareness in primitive parts of the brain.<\/p>\n

Porges\u2019<\/a> work indicates, in other words, that whether we like it or not, <\/i>the body will respond with a threat or challenge response in situations in which we do not feel safe.<\/p>\n

This is also borne out by recent work on the amygdala<\/a> and the way the brain\/nervous system responds rapidly to potentially dangerous faces and situations.<\/p>\n

Tend and Befriend:\u00a0 Are There Gendered Responses to Trauma?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Photo:<\/a>
Elephants surrounding a calf when strangers approach.
Photo: Siddharth Maheshwari<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recent research also suggests that in addition to fight, flight and freeze, our basic responses may also include a “tend and befriend”<\/a> response — a tendency to protect offspring by affiliating with others in one’s group for mutual defense.\u00a0 This response is said to be characteristic of women.\u00a0 (Taylor, 2000, 2012).<\/p>\n

This raises the fascinating possibility that defensive responses to threat may be gendered, at least in part.\u00a0 This will be dealt with in depth in other posts.\u00a0 For now, we return to the basic physiology of fight, flight and freeze.<\/p>\n

The Orienting Response: Stop-Look-Listen
<\/b><\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Orienting Response allows an animal to assess threat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In response to the threat of danger, the animal orients, that is, it stops and turns to the source of the danger.\u00a0 This \u201cstop-look and listen\u201d response allows the animal to shift resources to those perceptual and executive functions that will allow it to assess the danger and escape.<\/p>\n

Fight or Flight: Responding to the Threat <\/b><\/h3>\n
\"Fight<\/a>
The fight response in animals. \u00a0(Photo: James Harrison)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After this \u201cstop-look-listen\u201d stage, the animal, having calculated the danger and the best means of escape, will generally flee.<\/p>\n

However, when flight is not successful or possible, the body prepares to fight or counterstrike.\u00a0 During fight or flight, the adrenals and the sympathetic nervous system are triggered.\u00a0 Physical responses include:<\/p>\n