How the body keeps the score on trauma | Bessel van der Kolk for Big Think+

Summary

Bessel van der Kolk, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist with 50 years of experience, discusses the pervasive nature of trauma and its impact on individuals and society. He highlights the challenges in treating trauma, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing its root causes rather than merely labeling and medicating symptoms. Van der Kolk advocates for a compassionate approach that acknowledges the past experiences shaping one's present reactions, aiming for a society that supports the development of resilient minds.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Trauma is extremely common and can manifest in various ways, often leading to difficulties in emotional regulation.
• 👨‍⚕️ Bessel van der Kolk, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, has spent 50 years studying trauma and its effects on individuals.
• 📚 His book 'The Body Keeps the Score' explores the impact of trauma on the body and mind, emphasizing the body's role in holding traumatic memories.
• 🔍 The traditional psychiatric approach often focuses on 'fixing' the patient rather than understanding and addressing the trauma they've experienced.
• 🎯 Trauma is defined as a response to an extraordinary event outside the range of usual human experience, which was initially misunderstood as rare.
• 🤝 The importance of relationships and social support is highlighted as a means to help individuals process and recover from traumatic experiences.
• 🧠 Traumatic events are processed by the brain in a primitive part, triggering automatic responses like fight/flight or freeze.
• 🚨 The lingering effects of trauma can cause hyperreactivity to stressors, even when there is no immediate danger.
• 🌱 Self-compassion and understanding the roots of one's reactions are crucial for recovery from trauma.
• 🌟 Van der Kolk's legacy wish is for society to recognize and address trauma, supporting individuals who have experienced adverse conditions to fully participate in society.

Q & A

Who is Bessel van der Kolk and what is his profession?

Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who has been studying trauma for about 50 years.

What is the title of the book written by Bessel van der Kolk?

The title of the book written by Bessel van der Kolk is 'The Body Keeps the Score.'

What was the year when Bessel van der Kolk and his colleagues started to define what trauma is?

Bessel van der Kolk and his colleagues started to define what trauma is in the year 1978.

How did the Vietnam War veterans that Bessel van der Kolk met react to their environment?

The Vietnam War veterans that Bessel van der Kolk met had difficulty modulating their responses to their environment, often being passive and then suddenly becoming extremely angry when disappointed.

What term did Abram Kardiner use in 1941 to describe the condition of World War soldiers?

Abram Kardiner used the term 'physioneurosis' in 1941 to describe the condition of World War soldiers who continued to re-experience terrible, frightening situations.

What is the core definition of PTSD according to the script?

The core definition of PTSD according to the script is that people have been exposed to an extraordinary event outside of normal human experience and continue to re-experience it through images, behaviors, and physical sensations.

Why did Bessel van der Kolk and his colleagues initially believe that PTSD was not an unusual experience?

Bessel van der Kolk and his colleagues initially believed PTSD was not an unusual experience because they thought that such traumatic events were rare, but later realized that trauma is actually extremely common.

What are some of the statistics mentioned in the script regarding trauma in America?

The script mentions that one out of five women in America has a history of sexual molestation, one out of four kids get beaten very hard by their parents, and one out of eight kids witness physical fights between their parents.

What is the nature of trauma according to the script?

The nature of trauma is that an experience enters through the senses and goes into a primitive part of the brain that automatically interprets what's going on as dangerous or safe.

How does the lingering effect of trauma affect a person's daily life?

The lingering effect of trauma causes a person to continue reacting to mild stressors as if their life is in danger, leading to hyperreactivity and difficulties in daily life situations such as supermarket encounters or interactions with family members.

What is the big challenge of treating trauma according to Bessel van der Kolk?

The big challenge of treating trauma, according to Bessel van der Kolk, is helping people to live in bodies that feel fundamentally safe and developing a deep sense of self-compassion and understanding of their reactions.