Exploring the brain’s response to chronic stress
When you are exposed to chronic stress, your brain acts and reacts as if you are in a war zone. You see, the brain is designed to protect you from threats, but when that threat lives in your home, sleeps in your bed, or grows you in the womb, your brain doesn’t get a break. Narcissistic abuse isn’t a one-time trauma; it is a complex trauma. Chronic trauma dysregulates your body’s natural threat response system. It hijacks your nervous system and keeps you stuck in a prolonged state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
This overload of stress hormones primarily cortisol and adrenaline leads to neuroinflammation and structural changes in three key brain regions: the amygdala, which is the fear center; the hippocampus, which is the memory and learning hub; and the prefrontal cortex, which is the rational decision-making part of your brain. Let’s unpack each one.
The amygdala, fear center under siege
The amygdala is a part of your brain responsible for detecting threats and triggering your fear response. In a healthy brain, the amygdala is like a smoke detector it sounds the alarm when there is real danger. However, under narcissistic abuse, the amygdala becomes hypersensitive and hyperactive. Every raised voice, change in tone, or silence becomes a possible threat.
Over time, your amygdala becomes inflamed and enlarged a condition documented in studies on post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma. This results in chronic anxiety, panic attacks, and emotional flashbacks. You don’t just remember the abuse; you relive it as reactions stored in your body as somatic memories. One trigger, and there you go the reaction.
You may also want to read this:
Once the Narcissist Hurts a Loyal Woman, She Will Never Be The Same
What Happens To Narcissists When They Get Older?
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