Written By: Prerna Mittra | Published : November 20, 2024 9:07 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr Sanjay Kumawat, consultant psychiatrist and sexologist at Fortis Hospital Mulund
Childhood trauma -- often inflicted by parents and other family members -- can significantly impair cognitive functioning. (Photo: Freepik)
People deal with trauma differently, but sometimes, psychological trauma can make it difficult for people to move on. If anything, trauma can have an impact on long-term cognitive function. What is psychological trauma? It is our response to events and circumstances that our brain and body finds 'highly stressful'.
According to Dr Sanjay Kumawat, consultant psychiatrist and sexologist at Fortis Hospital Mulund, severe psychological trauma can result from having an abusive childhood, from being in an unhealthy relationship, living in a war zone, etc.
"Trauma challenges our limits of tolerance and makes it harder for the body and the mind to come to terms with what has happened, leaving individuals feeling hopeless and helpless," the doctor says. He adds that not all stressful events are traumatic in nature, and neither is everyone's response to stress the same.
"Trauma, however, has been shown to severely-impact our cognitive function in the long term," he states.
Dr Kumawat says trauma increases our stress levels and flushes our body with hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which leads to inflammation.
Long-lasting trauma can also cause auto-immune disorders due to the body being in a continuous inflamed state.
In addition to that, stress can also impair cognitive ability. "Individuals dealing with severe trauma can find it hard to focus and pay attention; they can be easily distracted or spend their days in a brain fog unable to comprehend simple instructions. They start to show signs of memory loss," he warns, adding that trauma can impact physical health, too, causing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
According to the doctor, childhood trauma -- often inflicted by parents and other family members -- can significantly impair cognitive functioning. The trauma can manifest in various forms, including physical abuse, humiliation, criticism, and neglect. Such experiences can deeply affect a child's self-worth and self-esteem, leading to lasting feelings of abandonment and neglect.
"The impact of childhood trauma is evident in behaviour, academic performance, and interpersonal relationships. Victims may become so traumatised, they may lose their independent sense of self and develop a bond with the perpetrator, failing to recognise the harm being inflicted and potentially perpetuating the cycle of abuse."
The expert says dealing with trauma can help stave off long-term complications like Alzheimer's and dementia. "It is, therefore, important to inculcate resilience in life. Individuals can be taught to deal with the trauma by practising meditation, yoga, developing hobbies, journaling, etc. Those experiencing severe mental trauma and anguish need medical help and should be encouraged to reach out to mental healthcare professionals who can guide them on their road to recovery. Finding the right mental health professional can take time but one must be patient in their journey," Dr Kumawat concludes.
