Trauma 1
What are some examples of trauma?
-bullying -when a family member dies -car accident -kidnapping -physical abuse -emotional abuse -sexual abuse -abusive relationships -domestic violence
Name one way kids who have experienced trauma can help themselves relax on purpose.
-Deep breathing/belly breathing -Eye Spy/noticing objects in the room -Self-narration/Commentator voice -Body Scan -Gentle movement -Taking a walk -Getting exercise -Listening to relaxing music -Creating something -Spending time with a pet -Sharing your feelings with someone you trust
If you were to redesign Instagram to make the platform more considerate of people experiencing trauma, what would you change?
Great! Thanks!
Name two parts of the brain
-Brain stem (downstairs brain) -Mid Brain (staircase) -Cortex (upstairs brain/thinking brain) -Hippocampus - Amygdala
What is a thought?
An idea, image, opinion, or observation in your brain.
What are some feelings that young people have when they have been through trauma?
Sad, Embarrassed, Disappointed, Depressed, Abandoned, Hurt, Numb, Anxious, Confused, Angry
What is the worst form of abuse? a) physical abuse b) sexual abuse c) verbal abuse d) emotional abuse e) depends on the situation
True or False: Sometimes, repeated exposure to themes of trauma on social media can result in the viewer experiencing trauma themselves.
True, this is called "vicarious trauma" or "secondary traumatic stress."
What does the hippocampus do? A. Helps hippos learn about college B. Stores long-term memories C. Activates brain's emergency response system D. Nobody knows!
B. Stores long-term memories
Is there such thing as a "bad" thought, and why?
No. People consider thoughts to be "bad" when they cause us discomfort, or when they inform actions and feelings that are unhelpful. These thoughts are not bad because it is normal for people to have thoughts that cause discomfort, and because discomfort can help us learn and stay safe.
What is an example of a trauma reminder?
Certain places, situations, people, words, sounds, smells, sensations, or days of the year that remind you of the trauma but are not actually dangerous. When you experience these reminders, you may feel unsafe or as if you were living through the trauma over again.
What thoughts do kids have when they have experienced trauma?
-What have I done wrong? -Why is this happening to me? -Is it going to happen again? -How long is this going to last? -Is this my fault?
What is "Trauma Dumping"?
Trauma dumping is the act of using social media platforms to share traumatic experiences in order to a) experience a quick rush and temporary release, b) generate sympathy, and c) to generate attention and likes. Trauma dumping does not require processing trauma, and can have a negative impact on long-term healing.
What does the Amygdala do? A. Tells you when you need to eat B. The house for a tiny person named Amy G. Dala C. Processes fear and activates the brain stem's emergency response system D. nobody knows!
C. Processes fear and sadness responses
Give an example of an unhelpful thought, and describe why it is unhelpful.
Great job!
DAILY DOUBLE ANSWER: Helpful of unhelpful, accurate or not accurate.
What are the "3 Fs"?
Fight, flight, and freeze
Some common reactions to trauma include...
-Crying -Anxiety -Feeling numb -Mood swings -Feeling panic -Hard time trusting -Hurting your body on purpose - Insomnia or sleep issues -Flashbacks -Forgetful of the trauma -Fidgeting or hyperactivity -Low self-esteem -Depression
How can social media be used to support healing from traumatic experiences?
Examples: uplifting messages; sharing of fact-checked statistics and resources; DM check-ins with trusted peers?
What happens when someone "flips their lid"
That person's cortex or "thinking brain" goes offline (fingers on the hand model of the brain go up), and the downstairs part of the brain and upstairs part no longer communicate, causing an overwhelming safety/crisis response to take over.
What are the three points of the cognitive triangle?
Thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Name two differences between how adults and young people might experience trauma
Examples: Young people may have less experience managing trauma than adults, and therefore might feel less in control of their experience in the early stages of trauma management; through social media and the modern education system, young people may have access to a language and a culture of trauma/trauma symptoms management that adults may not have as much access to
Trauma can increase the chances of a young person wanting to die, or wanting to hurt or kill themselves. What are some good resources for getting help with suicidal thoughts?
Have a plan in place ahead of time; create a safety plan with a trusted adult; talk to a friend or family member; check in about medications - are you taking them as prescribed?; be thoughtful about how you use social media; The Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988);
What is "algorithm bias" and how does it impact people experiencing trauma?
Algorithm bias is the process in which algorithms used by social media companies redirect content to people based on their search and view history. For trauma-experiencers who are interested to reading or learning about trauma, algorithms can greatly increase trauma-related content in a person's feed if they search or view videos initially, causing a "flood" of trauma content that can be unhealthy.
True or False: scientists know everything there is to know about the brain.
False. We know a lot, but there is still a lot we don't know. Become a scientist and help us learn more!
How can we use the concept of evidence to examine our thoughts? (hint: lawyers!)
When we are trying to identify if a thought is helpful or unhelpful, accurate or not accurate, we can test the thought by finding evidence FOR or AGAINST it.