The Impacts Of Childhood Trauma And How We Can Heal From It

The Impacts Of Childhood Trauma And How We Can Heal From It
4 min read
21 August 2023

You might wonder why children experience trauma, as their ability to bounce back from every situation is pretty powerful. But the impact of traumatic events in childhood can lead to severe and long-lasting effects in the future.

Whether sexual, physical, or verbal abuse, domestic violence, bullying, neglect, or an unstable environment at home or social gatherings, everything that disrupts children's sense of security may cause trauma that can remain forever.

In our childhood, we create pillars to build and develop our personalities.

What is Childhood Trauma?

Being a child doesn't give us a clear understanding of what is happening around us and how it may traumatize us in adulthood. Some traumas drastically affect our lives, even though, at times, we are not aware of them.

Childhood trauma happens when children are exposed to emotionally distressing events like death, injuries, and violence. Even observing, and not necessarily experiencing, a traumatic event can trigger trauma.

Trauma and Self-Worth

How we are treated from birth shapes our personalities and comprehensions of love, hate, and care. Children who are abused or neglected internalize a message that they are not worthy of love and affection. They develop a mindset that they are not good enough. Their levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem are lower, making it difficult to reverse or change them in the future.

Adolescents who have suffered from traumatic events in childhood tend to suffer from depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.

Impacts on Relationships

A child's relationship with their loved ones and caregivers significantly impacts their emotional and physical well-being. Children's attachment to others enhances trust and develops emotional stability.

A traumatic event can make children reluctant to trust others, making it hard to form relationships. Most children exposed to trauma tend to struggle with romantic relationships in adulthood. A study concluded that spouses with a history of childhood trauma and abuse are prone to unsuccessful marriages even in the newlywed phase.

How It Impairs Physical Health

When a child experiences a traumatic event, it has the potential to impair their functioning and physical development. Stressors tend to develop their immune and central nervous systems; traumas can keep children from achieving their full potential.

Trauma can increase the chances of asthma, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune systems, pulmonary diseases, cancer, and diabetes.

How Trauma Affects Cognitive Abilities

Childhood trauma significantly affects your mental health, including the decisions you make in your daily life. It leads to impulsivity and impairs your ability to control emotions like anger. It causes depression and emotional distress, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder and psychotic disorders.

Children exposed to complex traumas can develop dissociation – a state where an individual separates themselves from the traumatic event. They get profoundly imaginative and lose memory which also increases memory gaps.

Healing Childhood Trauma

Living with a traumatic childhood's emotional or psychological consequences can be tiring, yet you should never lose hope. Here are a few ways you can try to overcome your trauma.

  • Acknowledge and recognize the trauma you are going through. Pretending it never happened will lead to self-blame and make healing difficult.
  • Control your feelings and emotions. Take control of the situation because the feelings of helplessness can be carried well into adulthood and make you feel like a victim. Get out of it and face it. If it's difficult, seek professional help.
  • As mentioned above, seek support and never isolate yourself. Whether you are sharing it with a friend or a therapist, connecting and interacting can help you let go of negative feelings and burdens.
  • Parents should encourage their children to talk about their feelings and validate their emotions by making them comprehend that it is not their fault.

Childhood trauma can be devastating, yet it is never too late to seek help. Whether you are a teenager going through symptoms of childhood trauma or an adult facing problems in relationships because of a bad childhood, trauma treatment can do wonders. Do not underestimate the power of therapy.

Teetering On A Tightrope is an epic memoir of Steve W. Wilson, which portrays his life's journey of traumatic events and how he dealt with them. His book provides a deeper insight into childhood trauma and how they impact one's entire life.

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John mickel 2
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