By Robert B. Andrews MA, LMFT
PTSD from war trauma is a terrible aftershock for soldiers who experience the horrors of war. I recently read an article about PTSD in veterans who suffer from the effects of PTSD. I was struck by how exact the imprinting process for war trauma is when compared to athletes who suffer serious sports related injuries.
I don’t mean to compare the intensity of war trauma to athletic performance, or minimize our soldiers experiences. My intent is to point out the similarities in brain functioning and imprinting between war time experiences and serious sports related injuries.
The quote below comes from an article by Nolan Peterson about PTSD in the military. Although he is talking about intense combat experiences he perfectly describes the mental imprinting process that athletes experience when suffering a serious sports related injury like an ACL, broken leg, or concussion.
“But that’s the point. The hormones released by high-stress situations instruct the brain to imprint memories more deeply. Evolution taught us that trick: The caveman who could best remember how he escaped a saber-toothed tiger attack had a statistically better shot at surviving the next one. That’s why time appears to slow down in a car crash or while you’re getting mugged. The adrenaline coursing through your veins triggers your brain into hyperactive memory storage. Your mind and senses go into overdrive, absorbing every sensory detail with superhuman lucidity and completeness.
Because of this, an event that might only last a split second occupies as much mental storage space as a week or a month. Years later you can recall details, feelings, colors, smells, and sounds more vividly than you can remember this morning’s breakfast.” ~ Nolan Peterson
To the Brain, Trauma is Trauma
So sports injuries can be traumatic to the athlete.
I have spoken with athletes who tore their ACL and can remember what the grass smelled like when they laid on the field after being injured. Others recall how quiet the crowd became and how bright the lights were. Many hold an image of their teammates all looking at them as the trainers and team physicians looked after them.
These images are loaded with unprocessed information related to the injury.
I treat injuries from a trauma based approach. We teach the brain how to process this overwhelming cauldron of high stress information. This is the critical step in a full comeback after suffering injury.
If this story resonates with you, if you have intrusive mental images that relate to your injury, if you are afraid of getting hurt again, you are not alone.
We can get you back in the game quickly with diminished fear of re-injury and restored confidence.
Contact: robertandrews@tinssp.com
Robert, this is an amazing connection. I haven’t heard anyone make this bridge before but you’re absolutely correct about the similarities between PTSD and sports trauma. Trauma is trauma, and I’m sure your trauma-based approach sets you apart in your field. Thanks for sharing these insights.
Glad you see that you clicked with this concept. I have studied this for 25 years. Treating serious injuries the same way you might treat someone involved in a serious automobile accident makes all the sense in the world doesn’t it! Thanks for contacting me.
Thanks for the feedback Anthony. I treat serious sports injuries just like a bad auto accident. Appreciate that you appreciate this insight.
Hi Robert, I searched for “regaining confidence after breaking an arm” and found your website. I fell heavily a month ago and broke my right humerus. I’m a 65 year old female Australian. I believe through life’s many crises I have PTSD although others don’t believe me. I agree with your concept of time slowing down – it’s terrible reliving the fall and now I know it’s because of imprinting, a new concept to me. I am fearful of falling again, of physio in 2 weeks, of showering and walking alone, of crowds bumping me, etc etc, all of which I will of course have to face as I improve and heal over the next year. I don’t know how to find this confidence or the process but I will look into PTSD still more closely even though I am very familiar with it. Thank you.
Hi. Thanks for your comments. It sounds like you have been through a lot and that my article helped shed some light on your situation. Read up on Eidetic Imagery. Perhaps you can find someone who does this in Australia.
I think it would help you get rid of the image in your mind. It is avery powerful technique for helping overcome trauma.
There were 2648 comments when I left mine on this article a week ago. They were very helpful for myself and I’m sure many others. Where have they all gone?
We made some changes to our website and moved some of our social media to another site. They might have been lost in that transition. Glad you found the article.