Trauma, Time and Self

A recent article (1) highlights how trauma affects one’s sense of self and even time. Time and the sense of self are intricately connected, for without time there is no self. And a perturbation caused by a trauma appears to destroy both. And time has stopped for many and given the constraints humans are in, it is understandable.

As the brain suffers and the body moves intact, it is a construct that destroys everything. As real memories fade and artificial ones take hold, one can’t imagine the future anymore. As the article notes, refugees to Germany, who experience less trauma appear to have higher continuity, and migration to a foreign country is trauma, indeed.

Stoppage of time and loss of self predictably lead to suicide. Conventional techniques as proposed in the article simply do not work. Feel good therapies are not sustainable for the injury to the mind is not mendable by conversations. A changed human by trauma is not the same as before and her ability to optimize herself does not work anymore. This is not a medical problem but one medicine simple does not understand.

Trauma changes the human brain and her self and fixing such catastrophic shocks require better techniques. The larger utility question, that is somebody who is suffering from trauma, should continue is debatable.

(1) Trauma distorts our sense of time and self. A new therapy might help (sciencenews.org)