As was said earlier, words do hurt. Using words as weapons can cause tremendous physical pain, disease, and (as far-fetched as it may seem) can even result in death.
Physical reactions towards verbal abuse take place in stages. When someone verbally slaps you, your system suffers an initial shock. First your cortex, the top layer of your brain, receives the verbal message, which is processed in the appropriate areas of the brain, primarily on the left side, called Wernicke's area. After you have cognitively deciphered what was said, a deeper area of your brain, known as the limbic system, kicks in. When you have been verbally abused your whole physiology changes, becoming different from the state at which you either heard pleasant things about yourself or when you felt neutral.
Now your autonomic nervous system, the system that controls your heart rate, pupil dilation, and blood flow, kicks in. The primitive “fight or flight” response emerges as you aim to physically protect yourself against the predators. Thus, your heart beats faster, the adrenaline flows, and your senses become heightened, making you more aware of what is occurring around you.
This is why your heart beats so fast, why blood rushes to or drains out of your face, or why you might develop a sudden headache. It is why you may become dizzy or lightheaded and feel as though you have had an “out of body” experience.” It is also why you may have difficulty initially catching your breath after you have been verbally zapped and slapped. This is why your stomach tightens and begins to hurt or cramp, why your body becomes rigid, and why the muscles in your neck and back tense up.
If these physiological changes happen to you regularly, a particular area of your body may become weakened due to the added pressure placed upon it. For instance, constant pain and pressure in the abdominal region can cause an increase in stomach acid, which may result in ulcers. This pain can cause such discomfort that it can immobilize you, thereby jeopardizing your work and your interpersonal relationships.
Physical reactions towards verbal abuse take place in stages. When someone verbally slaps you, your system suffers an initial shock. First your cortex, the top layer of your brain, receives the verbal message, which is processed in the appropriate areas of the brain, primarily on the left side, called Wernicke's area. After you have cognitively deciphered what was said, a deeper area of your brain, known as the limbic system, kicks in. When you have been verbally abused your whole physiology changes, becoming different from the state at which you either heard pleasant things about yourself or when you felt neutral.
Now your autonomic nervous system, the system that controls your heart rate, pupil dilation, and blood flow, kicks in. The primitive “fight or flight” response emerges as you aim to physically protect yourself against the predators. Thus, your heart beats faster, the adrenaline flows, and your senses become heightened, making you more aware of what is occurring around you.
This is why your heart beats so fast, why blood rushes to or drains out of your face, or why you might develop a sudden headache. It is why you may become dizzy or lightheaded and feel as though you have had an “out of body” experience.” It is also why you may have difficulty initially catching your breath after you have been verbally zapped and slapped. This is why your stomach tightens and begins to hurt or cramp, why your body becomes rigid, and why the muscles in your neck and back tense up.
If these physiological changes happen to you regularly, a particular area of your body may become weakened due to the added pressure placed upon it. For instance, constant pain and pressure in the abdominal region can cause an increase in stomach acid, which may result in ulcers. This pain can cause such discomfort that it can immobilize you, thereby jeopardizing your work and your interpersonal relationships.
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