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In 2015, a study was conducted by Dr. Colin A. Ross, a psychiatrist specializing in dissociative disorders, to measure the hippocampal volumes of healthy brains versus brains of persons who had been through trauma. The findings revealed no difference in volume between the two groups.
What does it mean and why is this important?
Prolonged exposure to trauma both in childhood and adulthood, such as in a relationship with a narcissist, tends to cause a shrinkage in the hippocampus and an enlargement of the amygdala. This is because the brain protects itself from negative memories by discarding them (smaller hippocampus) and instead relegating its energy and resources to keeping us on guard (larger amygdala) in the event we need to fight or flee.
A relationship with a narcissist or a psychopath is one which requires us, whether we are consciously aware of this or not, to dwell in a state of constant vigilance. Children living in abusive homes are especially vulnerable to this. While their young brain develops, it is put under significant stress due to repeated adrenal stimulation.
The distinct feature of abuse is the swing between kindness and cruelty. An abuser can be sweet one moment, only to do a 180 flip and become outright mean the next…
