Psychological Trauma

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Psychological trauma and its effects on an athlete have rarely been studied. Trauma has been defined as an overwhelming experience that can forever alter one’s belief that the world is good and safe. A simple trauma can be defined as a short occurrence or a one-time event that threatens bodily injury or serious harm (e.g. car accidents, injuries, natural disasters), which can be followed by a social innovative response such as support from a team you are on or support from the community you are apart of. On the other end, complex trauma also known as relationship trauma, is a traumatic experience that can be longer in duration and involve multiple incidents such as violence, sexual abuse, personal threat, neglect, bullying and domestic violence …show more content…
The catecholamines system includes epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Childhood is the crucial period for developing the organizational structure of the brain. The various parts of the brain start to mature, organize, and become fully operational at different stages during childhood (Singer, 1995). With this in mind, if during development the stress response system is required to be habitually active, a stress response system in the central nervous system will begin to develop in response to the constant threat. Clinically, these children are frequently diagnosed with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD) because of their increased responsivity of the sympathetic nervous system (Haddad & Garralda, 1992; Famularo, Fenton, & Kinscherff, 1996). These children are characterized by persistent hyperarousal in which they are in a state of hypervigilance. They also have behavioral impulsivity and cognitive distortions as a result of a use-dependent organization of the brain (Perry, Pollard, Blakley, Baker, & Vigilante, 1995; Pynoos & Eth, 1985; Pynoos, 1990; see fig 1). It has been found that children that have been traumatized have increased muscle tone, an increased startle response, sleep disturbances and anxiety (Ornitz & Pynoos, 1989; Perry, 1994). Interestingly, …show more content…
Acute stress activates the HPA and increases levels of glucocorticoid. Glucocorticoid is a hormone that mediates stress. When we release glucocorticoids, they block the transport of nutrients into a cell. When we are in a state of chronic stress, it activates a negative feedback loop that causes a decrease in glucocorticoid levels, a decrease in glucocorticoid secretion, and an increased concentration of glucocorticoid receptors in the hippocampus (Yehuda, Giller, Southwick, Lowy, & Mason, 1991; Yehuda, Kahana, Binder-Brynes, Southwick, Zemelman, & Giller, 1995; see fig. 2). During this time, the hippocampus can be morphed due to its sensitivity. If we are in a chronic state of stress, then our HPA axis, which promotes adaptation to stressful situations, won’t be able to respond adequately to the stress which could promote comorbid physical disease. The hippocampal nerves shrink, while the amygdala nerves begin to grow and produce more dendrites (Sapolsky, 2001). The HPG system is the nervous system/sex glandular system and the axis’ has a specific response to trauma. A study conducted by Susman, Inoff-Germain, Nottelmann, Loriaux, Cutler, & Chrousos (1987) found that the HPG system may have an affect on hormones such as testosterone and cortisol that also serve as behavioral modifiers in males. This suggests that the hormonal
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