News Witnessing Fear In Others Can Physically Change Brain

[MyPTSD]

Scientists have discovered that observing fear in others may change how information flows in the brain. The finding in a rodent model may have bearing on people who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dead Link Removed

 

[hodge]

As someone who has been blessed/cursed with some empathic abilities, I appreciate this article. I've had enough of my own life-threatening and bad experiences, but also seeing others go through them is bad, too. I had to get back into therapy after hubby's heart attack started spiking my symptoms about 2-3 months after, once I was assured he was recovering well.

At the moment, I'm also going through something of the same kind, as a dear friend of mine and ours is battling brain tumors. It's horrible for her and her partner, but also horrible for me in the sense that I've been through this with two other friends before. God, please don't take another friend from me and don't take Joanne's partner from her. :cry:

 

[Justmehere]

Fascinating and yet also unsurprising results. I'm glad they are able to scientifically verify what I have seen to be anecdotally true.

The article states:

There's evidence that children who watched media coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are more likely to develop PTSD later in life when subjected to another adverse event," Morozov said."

This is why I don't watch TV or even realistic moves with much violence in it. I seem to have greater resilience to life stressors when I don't.