Contents:
- Medical Video: How Childhood Trauma Can Make You A Sick Adult
- Both have been traumatized, women are more susceptible to PTSD than men
- The impact of trauma on the brains of women and men is indeed different
- So should the handling of PTSD in men and women be distinguished?
Medical Video: How Childhood Trauma Can Make You A Sick Adult
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder triggered by traumatic experiences in the past, such as life-threatening accidents or family violence. Experiencing a traumatic event is hard for anyone. PTSD can affect anyone, both men and women and children and adults. Well, a study was conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine found a difference in the impact of trauma on the male and female brain, which was associated with an increased incidence of PTSD.
Both have been traumatized, women are more susceptible to PTSD than men
Previous research that had already been published in Journal Depression and Anxiety shows that girls who are traumatized are more prone to experiencePTSD than boys. This research was carried out by taking a brain scan through MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of 59 participants aged 9-17 years.
About 8 percent of girls who have experienced a traumatic event will experience PTSD when they grow up. While only 2 percent of boys also experience traumatic events that will experience PTSD later on.
The impact of trauma on the brains of women and men is indeed different
The new research from Stanford University shows passingscanMRI that there is no difference in the brain structure of women and men who have never experienced a traumatic event in their lives. However, there is a striking difference in the brains of women who have experienced trauma with a male brain that has experienced trauma.
This difference is found in the brain called insula. Insula is responsible for processing emotions, adapting to change, and empathizing. The insula part that shows the most prominent difference is known as the anterior circular sulcus.
The volume and surface area of the anterior sulcus are greater in boys who have experienced trauma. In contrast, the anterior circular sulcus of girls who have trauma is actually smaller in size. The more mature, the size of the anterior circular sulcus continues to shrink so that women become increasingly susceptible to PTSD.
So should the handling of PTSD in men and women be distinguished?
The differences seen between the brains of boys and girls who have experienced psychological trauma can help explain the differences in trauma symptoms between sexes. Aboy and girl can indeed show different trauma symptoms.
Some of the most common symptoms of PTSD appearFlash backor flashbacks of sudden traumatic events or if there are triggers that are very similar to the trauma. In addition, people with PTSD may have difficulty establishing relationships with the closest person, insomnia, and constantly feeling guilty.
However, the symptoms that appear can vary from person to person. Therefore, experts strongly suspect that treating PTSD may need to be distinguished, depending on one's sex. At present further research is still needed to ascertain whether PTSD management needs to be differentiated by sex because the impact of trauma experienced by men and women is different.
Until further research has proven it, treating PTSD is usually done through psychotherapy and several other types of psychological therapy. The therapist will adjust what form of therapy best suits your condition specifically. Because of that, even now the handling of PTSD and past trauma must be different for everyone.
