Introduction
Childhood trauma affects the manner in which neural pathways form and develop, which may result in underdeveloped sections of the brain. Trauma can pose significant long-lasting changes to parts of the brain, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, compromising the ability of the neural system to handle stress. Childhood trauma can alter the physical structure of the brain, triggering toxic stress, which reduces the influence and activity of the brain to control emotions and the overall functions of the human body. Childhood trauma may originate from violence, neglect, and abuse at a young age, resulting in psychological and physical developmental problems in adulthood as a result of brain damage and underdevelopment at an early age.
The Mental Health Center’s Article
Childhood trauma can pose profound and long-lasting effects on individuals, impacting several facets of their adult lives. The Mental Health Center claims that individuals who are exposed to childhood trauma usually exhibit various symptoms, including depression, isolation, increased anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), problematic social relationships, and substance abuse (Zaraki, 2023). Due to the damage that occurs to the brain parts that control emotions, the symptoms experienced by these individuals pose a devastating effect on their emotional and physical health and social relations.
Source Credibility
The article by the Mental Health Center utilizes a persuasive approach to clearly explain the symptoms exhibited by individuals who experienced childhood trauma. The article enables the reader to feel that they can relate to the situation due to its persuasive nature. The credibility of the source cannot be doubted, considering that it is authored by a mental health center that has professionals who understand the psychological and emotional effects linked to childhood trauma on adults’ brains.
The Brainfacts Article
Childhood trauma can result in toxic stress, which affects the physical structure of the brain and its functioning. According to an article by Brainfacts (2023), childhood trauma can profoundly affect the brain, triggering toxic stress. Toxic stress is considered to be triggered by a complex interaction of psychological, neurological, and physiological elements (BrainFacts.org, 2020). The stress is often prolonged and severe, posing detrimental effects on the physical and mental well-being of a child.
Toxic stress can result in a traumatic event, including physical and emotional abuse, violence, and death of a parent or caregiver. When such events occur, the brain responds to stress through the activities of parts such as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. These glands release hormones into the bloodstream to control stress levels, including cortisol and adrenaline. When the trauma is severe, repetitive, or chronic, the response becomes persistent and unfunctional. Regions of the brain that react to stress may become dysfunctional or less effective in providing effective responses, resulting in underdeveloped parts such amygdala and preferential cortex.
Additionally, toxic stress leads to an overactive stress response where the child’s stress response system is always on high alert, even if there is no trigger or threat (BrainFacts.org, 2020). In such situations, the brain is always expecting danger, causing a constant state of anxiety and hypervigilance. Chronic stress can disrupt the functioning and balance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and emotions. Further, this can affect immune function, increase the risk of heart disease and self-harm, and substance usage. These complications result in an isolated and disoriented life in adulthood.
Source Credibility
The source’s credibility is based on a combination of scientific evidence and expert testimony to convince the reader that childhood trauma can cause toxic stress that affects physical and psychological well by hindering brain function. The source includes evidence of how toxic stress can rewire the brain and alter its activity to present a compelling argument, adding credibility (BrainFacts.org, 2020). Considering that the article is published on BrainFacts, there is the use of expert testimony from an organization that is linked to the Society of Neuroscience. Expert testimony increases the persuasive power of the article due to the authority and knowledge harbored by the authors.
The Youth Ranch Article
Childhood trauma can impact the ability of the brain to control or enable an individual to cope with stress. According to the article “Trauma, toxic stress, and the developing brain,” a child’s brain growth and development are severely affected by childhood trauma, destroying the ability to withstand or control stress. The article defines psychological and emotional trauma as damage to the mind that happened due to a distressing occurrence. It explains that trauma is caused by excessive stress that surpasses an individual’s ability to cope or control the emotion associated with the event (Youth Ranch, 2023).
When a child is exposed to excessive or constant stress, the development of their brains and bodies is impacted negatively. A muscle reflex is created in the bodies of children who experience constant toxic stress. For instance, if a child is yelled at by the caregiver regularly, it will be difficult for them to differentiate between the sound of a threat and being called by someone. The article shows how a child’s psychological response to toxic stress can impair the long-term ability to regulate emotion and respond appropriately to different issues.
When parts of the brain are damaged such as the prefrontal cortex, the ability of the brain to avoid exhibiting survival responses when non-threatening triggers occur is destroyed or reduced. This means that the child will always be in flight or freeze mode. In this state, a child can have difficulties in differentiating between threatening and non-threatening events. For instance, a neutral face or any loud voice can be interpreted as a threat, causing the child to be frightened.
Again, poor development of the prefrontal cortex can affect functions, such as the ability to coordinate and modify behavior, control impulses, and organize emotional reactions. A traumatized child is known to have high levels of cortisol within their body, a hormone that acts as an alarm system to control mood, morale, and fear (Youth Ranch, 2023). Cortisol drops when stress is gone; however, in traumatized individuals, the levels are always high and can impact the functioning of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for memory, learning new elements, and regulating emotions. Damage to the Hippocampus can result in poor performance in class, inability to retain information, and difficulty forming effective social relationships due to emotional issues.
In situations where the development of the amygdala is affected, it respects functions are compromised. The amygdala regulates fear, threat, and danger, and it is the storage of human memories related to emotions. Trauma overstresses the amygdala, making it oversensitive. This results in a lack of emotional control and regular anger outbursts or emotional dysregulation. When the thalamus is affected, the brain’s ability to analyze data and come up with new ideas becomes limited because the ability to store data and retrieve it is compromised (Youth Ranch, 2023). Poor decision-making due to damage or underdevelopment of some parts of the brain is also linked to behavioral problems such as substance abuse, gambling, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Additionally, problem-solving ability and logical thinking are impacted complicating lives in adulthood.
Source Credibility
The article provides a compelling rhetorical approach using an analogy. It describes the responses triggered when an individual encounters a bear in the woods, specifically a fight, flight or freeze reflex, causing the production of adrenaline or cortisol (Youth Ranch, 2023). The analogy enables the reader to understand specific and immediate physiological responses to distress and relate it with the effects of toxic stress. The analogy is an illustration of how constant stress puts an individual in a non-ending state of vigilance and alertness to respond to threatening conditions.
Additionally, the source adds credibility by citing the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, which is a child development institution with an appealing academic reputation. The use of a reputable source and a relatable analogy makes this source a crucial contribution to exploring the impact of childhood train on an adult’s brain.
Conclusion
In conclusion, childhood can pose a profound and long-lasting effect on the brain in adulthood. The analysis of various sources provides insights into the detrimental effects of childhood trauma on adulthood. Trauma can hinder the physical development of the brain parts that mediate several functions, including anger, fear, critical and logical thinking, memory, and decision-making ability. The rhetorical analysis has proven the use of persuasive techniques, scientific evidence, and analogy to lure the reader into understanding the various impacts of childhood trauma on adulthood. Comprehending the impact of childhood trauma is crucial for all to identify and learn strategies for preventing the associated long-term consequences.
References
BrainFacts.org. (2020). Wired for danger: The effects of childhood trauma on the brain. Web.
Youth Ranch. (2023). Defining trauma, toxic stress, and how it affects developing brains. Web.
Zaraki. (2023). How childhood trauma affects us as adults – Healing the heart. MentalHealthCenter.org. Web.