Alltagstraumata: So lernt das Gehirn, mit Stress, Ängsten und Depressionen neu umzugehen

Every person has a story. These stories recount both the good and the bad things that happen to us throughout our lives. While some stories tell of beautiful memories, others revolve around traumatic experiences, such as traffic accidents, physical abuse, sexual violence, or medical experiences. Many affected individuals repeatedly endure these massive traumas, which can occur even in very ordinary situations. This leaves them stuck in a cycle of rumination, often leading to depression and anxiety disorders.

American neuroscientist Tracey Shors has been studying the effects of traumatic experiences on mental health for over three decades, with a particular focus on the female brain, which stores memories and traumas differently than the male brain. In this guide, she presents the MAP method she developed, which helps our brain learn to overwrite distressing memories with better stories.

The self-help method combines mental relaxation, such as walking or sitting meditation, with light endurance exercise, like dancing or walking, and is aimed particularly, but not exclusively, at women. This way, traumatic experiences—whether they weigh heavily in everyday life or only flare up in certain situations—are re-wired and processed in the brain. And this lays the foundation for a life free from burdens in the here and now.