Which of the following is listed as a common effect of trauma hormones after a sexual assault?

• A. Apathy
• B. Crying
• C. Fragmented memories
• D. Becoming frozen

Answer: (A)

Trauma can trigger a surge of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, and these chemicals can blunt emotional responses as a protective coping mechanism. This emotional numbing, often described as apathy, helps a person cope by reducing the intensity of feelings in the face of overwhelming distress. While crying, fragmented memories, or a freezing response can occur after trauma, they reflect other processes—immediate expression, how memories are encoded under fear, and a bodily defense reaction—rather than a direct hormonal dampening of mood. So, apathy best captures the common hormonal effect described in this context.