How Trauma Hijacks the Brain

Have you ever wondered how trauma might be impacting your brain?

Today, I'm going to introduce the concept of the triune brain, and how each part of your brain may process your traumatic experiences. Triune means, literally, "three in one." The triune brain model describes three areas within the brain that have a unique way of understanding and processing information; however, they are meant to function as a cohesive whole.

However, trauma and attachment issues can disrupt this cohesion and lead to things operating out of sync.

The triune brain model

The reptilian brain

In the triune brain model, the oldest part is the reptilian brain. It’s fully developed at birth and includes the brain stem and cerebellum. It operates on instinct and is responsible for the survival-related functions of the body.

The reptilian brain is most closely linked to sensorimotor or body processing. Examples of reptilian brain functions include: reflexes or instinctive trauma responses such as fight, flight, or freeze, startle responses, crying for help, aggression, and urges to hoard resources. It also controls autonomic responses that we experience as body sensations and basic life-sustaining processes like digestion, heart rate, body temperature, and respiration.

The reptilian brain is active whether we are asleep or awake to make sure that these vital functions are working properly. Because the reptilian brain governs basic instinctive actions, it acts very quickly, much more quickly than the neocortex, which we'll get to later. If a baseball is flying at your head, you don’t typically have to think about your response: your reptilian brain will make you duck instinctively.

The mammalian brain

The mammalian brain, a.k.a. the emotional or limbic brain, is responsible for our emotional and relational experiences. The mammalian brain includes the thalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus. It is also available to us at birth and connects the reptilian and neocortex parts of our brains.

Emotions lend another dimension to our experience by letting us know of our likes and dislikes, helping to identify what is emotionally important or meaningful to us. It also colors how we perceive pain and pleasure, and adds emotional richness to our lives and relationships.

In regards to our relationships, it allows us to be aware of our impact on others and of their impact on us, and it allows us to socially engage with others and attach. It’s also responsible for us feeling drawn towards or away from things and to hold emotional memories of our experiences.

How do these parts of the mammalian brain work? The thalamus receives information from our five senses. When that information includes threat or danger cues, the...

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