Expression of Trauma: Survival Circuit and PTSD

Trauma changes the way brain cells connect to each other. In post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the survival circuit becomes overreactive and sensitive to anything that might seem like a threat.

• • The parts of the brain involved in fear production become overactive.
  • The parts of the brain that control fear, calm us down, and help us learn to overcome anxiety all get suppressed.
  • The alarm signals from the brain may stay active, even when the threat is no longer present.
  • The survival circuit may activate due to memories or reminders of memories. This includes objects and other things in the environment that do not actually pose a threat.
  • When the person comes across these reminders or memories, they may have strong reactions and behaviors that don’t seem to fit the current situation.