Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity and Wiring
The brain grows and changes our entire life. Each time we practice something or learn a new skill, the brain strengthens some connection. Every time we change environments, genes can turn on or off, and the brain adapts to what it thinks gives it the best chance for survival. The more we do something, the stronger the connections in the brain become, the more efficient the process. One classic example of this was a study done many years ago on taxi drivers in London before GPS. The taxi drivers knew how to navigate the entire city, and spent decades doing it. When the density of their posteriori hippocampus, the part of the brain used for this memory, was assessed, it was found to be significantly denser than for normal people.
With PTSD, certain parts of the brain become much more active. Specifically the parts of the brain responsible for sensing and reacting to threats. The brain becomes “too good” and starts perceiving threat where this is not. Over time, as this becomes strengthened and we become used to living in a state of nervous system arousal, the once small rivers become oceans and it becomes impossible to navigate back to the safety we once felt. But just as the brain changed to reach this state, it can change back with the proper care and attention.
like riding a bike
They say it comes back like riding a bike. The brain has the old circuits somewhere there in the brain, it just needs some time to access them again. So it is with PTSD and reverting to the Social Engagement system discussed in Poly-Vagal Theory. This video explains the neuroplasticity very well though a man learning to ride an inverted bike.
Neuroplasticity and Trigger
In cases like drug addiction for example, neurplasticity can cause issues. The drug causes the release of feel-good chemicals and increased activity in the mid-brain which is the part of the brain controlling for pleasure and motivation. When the person even thinks about the drug, chemicals are released and the mind goes off into fantasy about the drug causing further release of dopamine until the drug is used. What is the difference between an addict and someone who is not addicted? For those not addicted, an area of the brain known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex gets involved. This area is associated with reason and balance. With a firm connection of this higher reasoning to the lower desires, one can control their actions. But with the deep learning of addiction and neruroplasticity, addicts are not presented with the same choices. The brain will sever the connection to the pleasure center and the process of taking the drug becomes procedural. From the point of view of the addict it is not as much a choice as it is the way of things. The brain has changed. Luckily the brain that changed can also change back. More on how the structure of the brain changes can be found in the section Your Brain on Trauma.
Much like the case of the addict, PTSD also causes changes in the brain. One such change is wiring for triggers. A trigger causes the traumatic event to be relived. Some of these cases can be obvious, like in the case of a war veteran who panics when watching fireworks on New Years. For some, especially those with C-PTSD, the triggers can be more difficult to identify.
Triggers are not always consciously known. Sometimes the body remembers things the mind doesn’t. For example, someone may have experienced repeated physical abuse from a caregiver that was often initiated while eating at the same table together. Even if that detail is forgotten through the years, the body may constantly feel on edge when eating around other people. There may be dozens of these triggers in some cases, and the longer one lives in a state of PTSD, the more triggers they may accrue as their body is constantly sensing danger and associating it with whatever is around them.
The logical conclusion here is to try to become aware of any time you feel triggered so that you can figure out what these hidden triggers are. Unfortunately, it can be trickier than that. It is possible that you could be triggered and not consciously realize it. There was a study done where people would wear headsets and images would flash before their eyes too fast to consciously know what they are seeing. One group was shown flowers, and another was shown snakes and spiders. After seeing the images, both groups reported feeling normal, however the group that was shown the snakes and spiders had markedly increased heart rates and blood pressure showing nervous system activation.
These triggers are rarely static. Say, for example, someone has trauma from being bitten by a dog growing up. They may not have a fear of all dogs. They may have a very kind old dog at home that has never acted aggressively. But when they see other dogs fighting, or if they have yet another bad experience with a dog, their brain may begin to shut out the entire category of “dog” as being a loving animal. They may begin to fear all dogs and take precautions to avoid dogs. This fear and avoidance will only exacerbate the PTSD, but from their experiences their brain has decided that it is safer to develop a fear for all dogs.
