When a person experiences a massive traumatic event, the brain undergoes significant structural changes that profoundly affect the subjective perception of time and memory.
During the immediate response to trauma, the amygdala activates rapidly, releasing cortisol and adrenaline that prepare the body for survival. These hormones alter synaptic activity and favor the consolidation of fragmented, sensory memories, forming what researchers call "flashbacks" or traumatic intrusions.
After the event, permanent changes occur in neural architecture. Neuroimaging studies have shown that regions related to emotional processing, especially the amygdala, remain hyperconnected until the person consciously processes the trauma. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for reasoning and emotional regulation, shows sustained dysfunction.
The most notable result is the alteration of temporal perception. While during the trauma time seems to stop or stretch, a well-documented phenomenon in clinical psychology, once processed, the person may experience:
- Intolerance to temporal transitions, such as waiting or traveling
- Difficulty experiencing the normal flow of time
- Truncated or accelerated temporal routines
These changes persist until cognitive and therapeutic processing is completed. Therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) specifically aim to reorganize these neural networks to restore a coherent, healthy perception of time.
¡Increíble cómo el cerebro reescribe el tiempo tras un trauma! Me fascina la ciencia detrás de los flashbacks.
Gracias por explicarlo tan claro; ahora entiendo por qué a veces siento que el tiempo se detiene. ¿Habrá más artículos sobre resiliencia?