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Cortisoaked: Why "trauma" needs a new name

 

We’ve all been through tough times; some of us more than others. However, some of us aren’t as able to rebound after difficulties, or maybe we notice that we’re a bit more sensitive or reactive to things that remind us of that tough time. This is especially true when excessive hardship was faced in childhood. While many of us can relate to the idea of struggle, not everyone may relate to the word “trauma”. Numerous people associate this word with emergency rooms, combat, or sexual assault. Interestingly, experiencing these events is not traumatic for everyone. For others, events that are less than life-threatening (i.e. parental divorce or mental illness, financial insecurity, or bullying) may result in a trauma-like reaction.

All people have different life experiences and biology, and thus have different thresholds for what is unmanageable. Enduring chronic stress in childhood can impact the brain's development, making future stress more challenging to manage. Talking about the impact on the brain instead of the precipitating event allows for more compassion and intentionality in how we respond.  

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 ‘Cortisoaked’ speaks to a state in which the brain is so flooded with the stress hormone cortisol that it functions differently, regardless of the precipitating event. This flooding of cortisol essentially puts the brain into emergency management mode with the ultimate goal of staying alive. For a cortisoaked brain, it’s not unusual to experience difficulty with logical thought, memory impairment, increased anxiety or emotional reactivity, sleep disturbance, poor concentration, and a host of other cognitive, physical, and emotional consequences. While these might seem unpleasant, this is the brain trying to avoid (what it perceives as) danger so we can keep living. Even those living with a cortisaturated brain (less severe, yet still causes impairment) are likely to notice some of the above concerns. 

At some point in life, most human brains will become cortisoaked. This is not a matter of how tough or smart or healthy someone is; it’s a matter of being human. Many cortisoaked brains will resume their routine operations once the stressor has subsided, while still maintaining traces of the experience. Others may be slower to rebound, and may experience more chronic changes. The degree to which they will rebound and resume their previous level of functionality is unique to each person. Maintaining physical health, practicing mindfulness and other present focused skills, using logic exercises (puzzles, etc.) when feeling stressed, and establishing and maintaining a healthy and helpful support system are excellent ways to insulate from the effects of becoming cortisoaked. Understanding what is happening can also help facilitate this rebound and can go a long way in knowing that we are normal, even when our brains might make it seem otherwise. 

The book shown here is intended to help people better understand the toll that extreme or ongoing stress (like a pandemic!) can have on the brain, and the significance of early life experiences in determining how a brain will respond to stress throughout life. Understanding is an antidote to judgment!

 

 

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Thank you Sarah for sharing this and congratulations on the publication of your book.  I bought it today and haven't gotten very far, but already what you have written greatly expands my understanding and concepts around "trauma", what's "normal" and how words we collectively use make a difference when we examine them close-up.  Thanks and I'm looking forward to finishing your book.

I like the term cortisoaked.  Better than cortisaturated.  Cortiflooded is another option. Since I wrote a book on trauma where I talk about the antipathy to the term itself, this has appeal. 

Oddly, the ebook version of my book, Trauma Doesn't Stop at the School Door, is steeply discounted as an ebook on Amazon.  (Not sure for how long but still there as of this writing.) There might be staff who want it for under $20.  Holiday deal of the day -- especially with the start of school.
 
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Stay safe and be well.
 
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