Too much realityToo much reality
All In The Mind
Post traumatic stress causes structural brain changes, as well as psychological, emotional and physical health problems. A retired SAS commander tells his story and a Cambodian refugee benefits from neurofeedback treatment.
28:50•27 Apr 2014
Too Much Reality: Trauma, the Brain and Finding a Way Forward
Episode Overview
- Trauma can cause lasting structural changes in the brain as well as increased risks of cardiovascular, autoimmune and metabolic illnesses.
- Post-traumatic stress often develops cumulatively over multiple exposures and may appear years after the original events.
- Hypervigilance, fear, guilt and difficulty trusting others are common everyday consequences of severe trauma.
- Psychotherapy, medication and emerging approaches like neurofeedback may all play roles in treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Early monitoring of symptoms in high-risk groups and limiting further exposure can help reduce long-term trauma-related disorders.
“"As T.S. Eliot once said in The Waste Land, humankind cannot tolerate too much reality."”
What drives someone to seek a life beyond overwhelming stress and trauma? This episode of *All In The Mind* looks closely at how traumatic experiences change both the brain and the body, and what that means for recovery. You'll hear retired SAS patrol commander Stuart Bonner describe the emotional fallout of combat, from calling in airstrikes to living with "an ongoing feeling that things are not going to work out well" and intense hypervigilance.
His reflections on guilt, family life and the desire to help other veterans give the conversation a raw, human edge. Khmer refugee Liakina Sous shares her memories of surviving the Pol Pot regime, witnessing family members being taken away and killed, and later finding herself unable to work, trust others or manage everyday tasks. Her story shows how trauma can stay buried for years before surfacing as severe depression and complex post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Professor Sandy McFarlane explains that post-traumatic stress disorder is far more than "just a state of mind". He outlines research showing increased risks of cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, metabolic syndrome and even dementia, alongside clear structural changes in the brain's frontal "brakes" that help regulate fear and behaviour.
Psychologist and senior neurofeedback counsellor Mirjana Askovic adds a practical layer by showing how neurofeedback is used with refugees at the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors. She describes measuring brainwave activity in real time and using sounds like ocean waves and bubbling water to guide the brain into calmer states so clients can talk about trauma without being overwhelmed.
Together, these voices paint a picture of trauma as cumulative, embodied and enduring—but also something that can be understood and treated through psychotherapy, medication, neurofeedback and careful monitoring over time. If stress and trauma have touched your life or someone close to you, could the science and stories here offer a new way to think about what’s really going on?
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