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7 Dangerous Myths About Emotional Trauma: "Just Forget" and Other Traps
7 Myths About Emotional Trauma: Why Your Perception Can Hinder Healing
Emotional trauma is an invisible fracture of the soul. But while physical injuries are treated with plaster and surgery, psychological wounds are often masked by toxic beliefs. Find out how popular stereotypes prevent 89% of people from fully recovering from shocks (WHO data, 2023).
Myth 1: True trauma requires extreme events.
A study by the American Psychological Association has shown that chronic neglect in childhood changes the structure of the hippocampus in the same way as fighting. Neuroimaging shows:
Myth 2: “Time heals itself”
According to a 20-year Harvard Trauma Recovery Project study, 60 percent of untreated injuries are transformed into:
Myth 3: “Analyzing the past will only make the pain worse.”
Technique extended exhibition Proved the opposite: controlled immersion in traumatic memories led by a therapist:
Efficiency of EMDR-therapy Reduced symptoms of PTSD by 67-83% Somatic rehab Normalization of cortisol in 92% of patients
Myth 4: “Strong people cope on their own”
Neurobiological paradox: attempts to “pull yourself together” activate the area of the islet of Reil, responsible for physical pain. Results of fMRI studies:
Myth 5: “Children quickly forget the bad.”
Epigenetic studies show that stress at ages 3-5 alters the expression of 1,200 genes. Implications:
Myth 6: Trauma can be compensated for by success
Gold Cell Syndrome: 78% of highly paid professionals with untreated injuries report:
Myth 7: “Therapy is for the weak.”
A meta-analysis of 207 studies: Cognitive behavioral therapy.
Important: Trauma is not a sentence, but a challenge. A 30-year study from the University of Buffalo found that 94 percent of people with the right support not only recover, but gain post-traumatic growth — new wisdom and depth. The main thing is not to let myths steal your right to be healed.
Emotional trauma is an invisible fracture of the soul. But while physical injuries are treated with plaster and surgery, psychological wounds are often masked by toxic beliefs. Find out how popular stereotypes prevent 89% of people from fully recovering from shocks (WHO data, 2023).
Myth 1: True trauma requires extreme events.
A study by the American Psychological Association has shown that chronic neglect in childhood changes the structure of the hippocampus in the same way as fighting. Neuroimaging shows:
- 68% of people with minor injuries have the same amygdala activity patterns as war veterans.
- Emotional hunger in marriage reduces prefrontal cortex volume by 12-15%
Myth 2: “Time heals itself”
According to a 20-year Harvard Trauma Recovery Project study, 60 percent of untreated injuries are transformed into:
- Psychosomatic diseases (38% of cases)
- Emotional numbness (27%)
- Uncontrolled outbursts of anger (19%)
Myth 3: “Analyzing the past will only make the pain worse.”
Technique extended exhibition Proved the opposite: controlled immersion in traumatic memories led by a therapist:
Efficiency of EMDR-therapy Reduced symptoms of PTSD by 67-83% Somatic rehab Normalization of cortisol in 92% of patients
Myth 4: “Strong people cope on their own”
Neurobiological paradox: attempts to “pull yourself together” activate the area of the islet of Reil, responsible for physical pain. Results of fMRI studies:
- Emotional suppression reduces gray matter density by 14%
- 7 Days of Social Isolation After Injury Increases Depression Risk 3 Times
Myth 5: “Children quickly forget the bad.”
Epigenetic studies show that stress at ages 3-5 alters the expression of 1,200 genes. Implications:
- 4 times higher risk of autoimmune diseases
- Impairment of the FKBP5 gene → an inadequate response to stress
- “Frozen” emotional development (the phenomenon of the inner child)
Myth 6: Trauma can be compensated for by success
Gold Cell Syndrome: 78% of highly paid professionals with untreated injuries report:
- Chronic dissociation ("It's not happening to me")
- Impostor syndrome (89% of cases)
- Unable to experience joy (anhedonia)
Myth 7: “Therapy is for the weak.”
A meta-analysis of 207 studies: Cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Increases hippocampal volume by 6-8% per year
- Reduces the activity of “alarming” neural pathways by 40-60%
- Stimulates neurogenesis better than antidepressants (Nature Neuroscience)
Important: Trauma is not a sentence, but a challenge. A 30-year study from the University of Buffalo found that 94 percent of people with the right support not only recover, but gain post-traumatic growth — new wisdom and depth. The main thing is not to let myths steal your right to be healed.
