Crisis Services
ASERT does not offer crisis services through our Resource Center. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.
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.
Trauma can impact a person’s attention, memory (both short-term and long-term), and how they process information. The brain changes the way a person sees, experiences, and understands the world. These changes in the brain typically result in new behaviors, which are often labeled as symptoms. These symptoms can lead to a variety of problems and diagnoses. Many professionals frequently focus on the symptoms and overlook the person’s trauma experience.
This information was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT). For more information, please contact ASERT at 877-231-4244 or info@PAautism.org. ASERT is funded by the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, PA Department of Human Services.