Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
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Narrative/summary of experience:
Narrative/summary of experience:
Working on this honors project was such a meaningful experience for me because it let me explore trauma in a way that connected biology, psychology, and public health, all areas I really care about. As I read through different studies, I realized how much I enjoy digging into these topics and piecing together information to understand the bigger picture. This project pushed me to stay organized, manage a long-term workload, and trust myself with challenging material. I also found myself thinking a lot about how trauma impacts real people and communities, which made the science feel even more important. This experience helped me grow as a researcher and reminded me why I’m drawn to work that blends science with human impact.
Working on this honors project was such a meaningful experience for me because it let me explore trauma in a way that connected biology, psychology, and public health, all areas I really care about. As I read through different studies, I realized how much I enjoy digging into these topics and piecing together information to understand the bigger picture. This project pushed me to stay organized, manage a long-term workload, and trust myself with challenging material. I also found myself thinking a lot about how trauma impacts real people and communities, which made the science feel even more important. This experience helped me grow as a researcher and reminded me why I’m drawn to work that blends science with human impact.
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Reflection:
Conducting research on the epigenetics of trauma has been an eye opening experience that increased my understanding of how adversity can shape both the brain and the body across a lifetime. At first, I was drawn to the topic because of my curiosity, how could something like trauma leave a measurable mark on our genes? But as I moved through the literature, I began to recognize the weight these biological changes carry for individuals and communities who live with chronic stress or generational adversity.
I was especially shocked by how early life experiences can recalibrate the stress response system and how these changes may persist across generations. Reading about populations exposed to displacement, discrimination, or environmental disasters made me reflect on the ways society often overlooks the consequences of inequality. It pushed me to think beyond the molecular details and consider the families shaped by instability, and the children who inherit those vulnerabilities.
This project also made me more aware of how interconnected psychology, biology, and public health truly are. Trauma is not confined to just emotion or memory; it is woven into neural pathways, hormonal systems, and even epigenetic marks. That realization strengthened my belief that healthcare must address more than symptoms, as it also has to acknowledge the environments people grow up in and the structural forces that shape their health.
Overall, this research has motivated me to continue exploring how science can be used not just to understand trauma, but to inform more compassionate, equitable care. It reminded me why I wanted to work at the intersection of medicine, mental health, and advocacy.
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