with as basic science and as much analogies as possible, please explain why does childhood trauma carries on into adulthood and even at a later age, even when it’s not happening anymore later on.

Question

Why can’t the brain simply forget about it since it’s from a long time ago and still end up having some form of mental health issues later on in life because of it?

In: 39

Answer 1

Ok, I’ll simplify it a lot but this is not that difficult to grasp.

Traumatic experiences are a bit more than just a sad memory. They are difficult to forget or ignore because trauma changes your brain. It rewrites thinking patterns. Episodes of anxiety or stress can be triggered by anything associated to the trauma.

That is to say, memories become stronger through repetition. Memories from traumatic experiences are often haunting and intrusive. These memories reinforce themselves through episodes of anxiety and stress, remaining more vivid and painful for much longer.

This effect is stronger when trauma is acquired young because young brains are developing and maleable, they are in “learning mode”

When trauma happens to a brain on learning mode, it is more difficult to let it go, as it learns it just like it does anything else.

That said, plenty of people first experience trauma as adults and the same basics apply.