How the brain recovers from emotionally traumatic experiences

[MattMVS7]

I have had a few severely traumatic experience in my life where I was in the worst miserable (hopeless) state of my life, but I have fully recovered from such experiences and I was wondering how the brain recovers from these experiences and that if these recovery mechanisms were somehow absent, would the brain somehow recover on its own anyway? Let's pretend that these recovery mechanisms were completely absent, then would it be no different than a situation where you are constantly running on a treadmill and you eventually reach a point of exhaustion? If you kept running on that treadmill, then you would eventually reach a point where you would completely die.

 

I apply this analogy to traumatic experiences because I am wondering if those overly active emotionally traumatic brain regions that are constantly active 24/7 would eventually reach a point where they would become exhausted on their own and that you don't actually need any recovery mechanisms in the brain to recover from such traumatic experiences. But if you do need these recovery mechanisms and I didn't have them, then would I literally be trapped in that horrible traumatic state I was in and never reach a point of significant recovery from it? That would be the worst thing because it was a constant 24/7 hellish state of mind for me and to always be in that state would be horrible.

Edited May 1, 2017 by MattMVS7

[Raider5678]

I have had a few severely traumatic experience in my life where I was in the worst miserable (hopeless) state of my life, but I have fully recovered from such experiences and I was wondering how the brain recovers from these experiences and that if these recovery mechanisms were somehow absent, would the brain somehow recover on its own anyway? Let's pretend that these recovery mechanisms were completely absent, then would it be no different than a situation where you are constantly running on a treadmill and you eventually reach a point of exhaustion? If you kept running on that treadmill, then you would eventually reach a point where you would completely die.

 

I apply this analogy to traumatic experiences because I am wondering if those overly active emotionally traumatic brain regions that are constantly active 24/7 would eventually reach a point where they would become exhausted on their own and that you don't actually need any recovery mechanisms in the brain to recover from such traumatic experiences. But if you do need these recovery mechanisms and I didn't have them, then would I literally be trapped in that horrible traumatic state I was in and never reach a point of significant recovery from it? That would be the worst thing because it was a constant 24/7 hellish state of mind for me and to always be in that state would be horrible.

Depends.

What was the traumatic events?

[MattMVS7]

Depends.

What was the traumatic events?

 

One was the idea of death being final. I once had a little bit of belief in the afterlife. But once I lost that belief, that has traumatized me. The other traumatic experience I have had was in regards to a horrible near death experience. I was worried (traumatized) that if I ever do have a horrible nde, that it could be just as bad or even worse than the traumatic induced nightmares I have had in the past which were far worse experiences than the trauma itself.

Edited May 1, 2017 by MattMVS7

[Raider5678]

 

One was the idea of death being final. I once had a little bit of belief in the afterlife. But once I lost that belief, that has traumatized me. The other traumatic experience I have had was in regards to a horrible near death experience. I was worried (traumatized) that if I ever do have a horrible nde, that it could be just as bad or even worse than the traumatic induced nightmares I have had in the past which were far worse experiences than the trauma itself.

Again, it depends on the event.

If you were actually near death, as in bloody and dying, that would leave more lasting impacts on the brain then simply nearly falling off a cliff.

As for the first traumatic event, that was not a traumatic event.

[MattMVS7]

Again, it depends on the event.

If you were actually near death, as in bloody and dying, that would leave more lasting impacts on the brain then simply nearly falling off a cliff.

As for the first traumatic event, that was not a traumatic event.

 

These were traumatic events. Since I was in the worst emotionally traumatized state of my life in regards to both the first event I described to you and the second event, then that is the very definition of an emotionally traumatic experience. These experiences would actually be much worse than if I was in a life or death situation. In life or death situations, I would simply be very fearful and nothing more. But that would be nothing in comparison to these emotionally traumatic experiences I have had.

[Raider5678]

 

These were traumatic events. Since I was in the worst emotionally traumatized state of my life in regards to both the first event I described to you and the second event, then that is the very definition of an emotionally traumatic experience. These experiences would actually be much worse than if I was in a life or death situation. In life or death situations, I would simply be very fearful and nothing more. But that would be nothing in comparison to these emotionally traumatic experiences I have had.

I beg to differ.

Physical events can be very traumatizing.

 

 

Perhaps depression?

[MattMVS7]

I beg to differ.

Physical events can be very traumatizing.

 

 

Perhaps depression?

 

Well, all I know is that life or death situations wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as what I've been through. Therefore, I can honestly conclude that these were emotionally traumatic experiences for me. It wasn't just depression I experienced from these events, but also traumatic emotional experiences as well.

[Raider5678]

 

Well, all I know is that life or death situations wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as what I've been through. Therefore, I can honestly conclude that these were emotionally traumatic experiences for me. It wasn't just depression I experienced from these events, but also traumatic emotional experiences as well.

Have you experienced a near death experience?

If not, don't say you know which one is worse.

They are very traumatic. Weeks of reliving the same bloody nightmare again and again, watching your family die in front of your eyes, and wishing you were dead.

 

What you're describing, seems heavily like situational depression.

The first, in no way, would leave emotional trauma on you. You simply got depressed because you lost your motivation and had to find it again. A lot of people do that.

The second, you refuse to elaborate on in detail, so I can't tell you nor comment on. So maybe that was emotionally traumatizing.

[MattMVS7]

Have you experienced a near death experience?

If not, don't say you know which one is worse.

They are very traumatic. Weeks of reliving the same bloody nightmare again and again, watching your family die in front of your eyes, and wishing you were dead.

 

What you're describing, seems heavily like situational depression.

The first, in no way, would leave emotional trauma on you. You simply got depressed because you lost your motivation and had to find it again. A lot of people do that.

The second, you refuse to elaborate on in detail, so I can't tell you nor comment on. So maybe that was emotionally traumatizing.

 

I was actually referring to life or death situations. I was not referring to near death experiences. You are right though in saying that a near death experience could be worse than what I've already been through. However, I was instead addressing the point you've made in regards to being near death such as being bloody and dying as well as almost falling off a cliff. These experiences I have had were situational induced depression and agony. But I do not understand what you mean here when you say that I refuse to elaborate in detail. I think I already have elaborated in detail since I already explained to you what these traumatic experiences were.

[Raider5678]

 

I was not referring to near death experiences.

The other traumatic experience I have had was in regards to a horrible near death experience.

 

 

Alright then. I'm done here.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Raider5678

[MattMVS7]

 

 

Alright then. I'm done here.

 

I'm confused here. Why did you back out of the conversation? I was addressing the life crisis situations you've described. You were not actually referring to near death experiences (i.e. the hallucinatory experiences people report such as being out of body and traveling to other realms). Therefore, that is the reason why I wasn't addressing ndes in the conversation, but was instead addressing the life or death situations you've pointed out earlier such as being bloody and almost dying as well as almost falling off a cliff. I also said that my traumatic experience was in regards to an nde. Not that I actually have had an nde myself yet.

Edited May 1, 2017 by MattMVS7