Emotional trauma can affect people in different ways. The trauma itself and the stress that accompanies it can have a number of detrimental effects. Anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression and changes in appetite are just some of the many effects.
Research has also revealed that emotional trauma that is not treated can also cause cancer. You may wonder how this is possible. Find the details below.
Emotional trauma: cancer trigger
To understand how trauma can be a trigger for cancer, one must first know
that untreated emotional trauma can lead to a state of permanent stress.
And as many studies show, it is this increased and chronic stress that can
actually reduce immune system function and cause cancer. A recent review of more than 100 studies has shown that chronic stress can cause the
sympathetic nervous system (NSS) to actually induce metastases.
The SNS is the main system behind our "fight or flight" chemical reaction. The SNS normally activates in situations where a threat or danger is
perceived. Once the threat is over, the SNS closes its dispersion of hormones and chemicals and the body returns to its normal homeostatic state in about an hour.
However, for people who have suffered emotional trauma and who are under chronic stress, the SNS never goes out forever. When the SNS is constantly
"activated", the adrenaline and norepinephrine stimulation mechanisms found there have the potential to disrupt or alter genetic codes.
These alterations can lead to a variety of carcinogenic
developments. Inflammatory responses are activated, immune responses are
inhibited, angiogenesis is stimulated and much more.
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is often turned off, DNA repair is
inhibited, and cancer stem cells are created. By any number of these
pathways, cancer can inevitably be created.
Emotional trauma is serious and, when left untreated, can cause even more
harm to the person who suffers. There are a number of therapies available to
help people overcome their trauma.
In addition to seeing a therapist, participating in meditation and engaging in meditation or other relaxation techniques can help relieve some of the stress, soothe the soul and reduce the risk of cancer.