Trauma-Informed Lens Podcast
Episode 14: Dissociation, Putting Things Together to Understand “Coming Apart”
Posted on December 19, 2017
The fragmentation of mental function that can occur after a series of traumatic experiences may both protect a person from distress and make it harder for the individual to put the trauma into perspective. Humans process vast amounts of information at any moment. By applying selective filters about what information is important and connected, the brain creates a sense of coherence that includes a sense of how the brain (and body) itself fits into the equation. Even under optimal conditions, the neural systems responsible for processing all the activity from millions of neurons at a time aren’t always able to extract a coherent picture. Traumatic experiences can significantly restrict neurons from firing in association and may limit a sense of continuity of identity that emerges from experience and memory.
Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography