Childhood can be the most idyllic and carefree time of our lives, where we get the most attention and affection from our loved ones. While it may be a memorable time for some of us, it can be completely opposite for others. Many individuals suffer from some sort of trauma early in their lives. As a result, this unhealed childhood trauma can manifest as aggression, worry, and several well-being risks when they grow up (19).
Therefore, overcoming childhood trauma is important. With the right help and a safe space, you can survive and learn to live a fulfilling life.
In order to overcome childhood trauma, it helps to understand what it is and how it occurs. Childhood trauma is a distressing event or a painful experience that a child witnesses, which leaves a negative impact on their well-being. It can range from different types of abuse to death or serious injury.
Childhood trauma occurs more often than we might imagine. According to the CDC, over 60% of Americans have experienced trauma at one or more points in their lives (1).
As children, we often don’t pay much attention to our emotions or experiences, but as we grow up, exposure to harsh experiences creates painful memories and unresolved trauma, which affects our daily lives.
Childhood trauma is a diverse and individualized experience that’s different for every person.
Healing childhood trauma is incredibly important because if it’s left unattended, it can lead to health risks and challenges. Some indicators of childhood trauma in adulthood include:
If you have any health condition, please consult a health specialist.
Childhood trauma can take a huge toll on your mental wellness and may put you at risk of developing a victim mentality where you blame yourself for all the hurdles that hinder your growth and affect your self-esteem. You may find it difficult to form healthy relationships with others if you experienced abandonment issues during your early childhood.
Some people often act impulsively without controlling themselves in the heat of the moment and don’t worry about the consequences. Experiencing childhood trauma puts you at risk of emotional and physical challenges as an adult (21). Therefore, it’s important to heal childhood trauma in adults so they can live balanced lives. However, it’s important to acknowledge your challenges as the first step of healing is to realize that you’re experiencing distress and frustration due to trauma and you need help.
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Childhood trauma can have an adverse impact on the mental and physical well-being of adults. Childhood traumas include different types of distress or emotionally challenging experiences that a child witnesses.
Physical abuse is a type of childhood trauma that is brought on by inflicting physical harm to a child, often as a part of disciplinary measures. This can include slapping or harming the child.
Physical abuse causes physical and psychological damage and the resulting trauma can last for years. The effects of physical abuse may range from cognitive disabilities, poor social skills, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues (5).
When some children witness the death of a loved one due to murder or suicide at a young age, the experience can be incredibly traumatic for them and inflict a deep wound on them. They often start asking questions such as why the deceased person chose to leave them and why they didn’t do anything to stop them. This often makes them feel angry and guilty, which manifests as aggression and behavioral issues in adulthood (4).
Domestic violence is a type of childhood trauma where the child is sometimes the direct victim or witnesses violence between their parents, siblings, or relatives. The child’s well-being and development are severely affected by witnessing domestic violence against their primary caregiver. As a result, the child can suffer from substance abuse, behavior disorders, social challenges, and attachment issues. (15)
Community violence is when a child is exposed to violent acts in the community, such as school shootings, gang violence, riots, protests, or police brutality. Witnessing community violence leads to mental challenges and studies have shown that an incident of violent crime in close proximity to a child’s home is associated with increases in their mental health problems by 0.28-0.38 standard deviations on average. (10)
Bullying is another prevalent type of childhood trauma and refers to an unwarranted behavior that causes physical or psychological harm to the victim, who is perceived as being weaker. As a result, the child suffers from several challenges, such as the inability to trust, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts (12).
Read more: 12 Signs of Childhood Trauma in Adults
Natural disasters also take a toll on a child’s mental well-being. Every year, 175 million children globally are expected to be affected by natural disasters, including floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, severe storms, and earthquakes. Childhood traumas brought on by disasters stem from homelessness caused by disasters, displacement, infrastructure damage, and natural catastrophes (20).
Kidnapping is an incredibly traumatic and life-threatening experience for children due to their physical and psychological vulnerability. Children who are held hostage don’t feel safe and struggle with feelings of fear and uncertainty (16).
While neglect is a common childhood trauma, it often receives less attention than physical abuse. Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to tend to a child’s emotional needs or doesn’t offer support to them in times of distress. Neglect also occurs when a child’s basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, or hygiene, are unmet. As neglect is difficult to identify, this can cause deep-rooted, lifelong trauma (6).
Healing from childhood trauma isn’t easy. The experience is highly individualized, so everybody experiences it differently. The first step toward healing from childhood trauma is to acknowledge and accept that you’ve been the victim. Once you’ve accepted the reality, the rest becomes easier. The stages of healing from childhood trauma are:
Childhood trauma significantly impacts physical, mental, and emotional well-being, manifesting through a range of adverse outcomes. It is often associated with co-occurring mental wellness issues (8). Trauma, particularly interpersonal in nature, can lead to severe psychological and physical impairments that last a lifetime.
Experiences such as neglect and abuse during childhood have intergenerational effects, which influence the victim’s mental health and that of their offspring (9). Emotional development and well-being are also deeply affected, as children who have been exposed to trauma often struggle with emotional resilience and overall mental well-being (11).
The first step is to address how childhood trauma is impacting your daily life. Whether you’re often worried or have difficulties interacting with others, childhood trauma damages your well-being. Childhood trauma often makes you undervalue yourself and makes you suspicious of everyone around you.
Therefore, the first healing step is to get real and realize how some people or events have impacted your mental well-being. This will help give meaning to your current struggles and give you a better sense of your challenges.
Acceptance is the most difficult step as it takes time, and it isn’t easy to accept that somebody may have harmed you during your childhood. Overcoming childhood trauma requires you to realize how some people have intentionally or unintentionally failed to meet your needs and protect you from traumatic events. Over time, you will learn to accept reality and be honest about the good and bad memories of your childhood.
Acceptance is all about understanding how the world can be good or bad and how both get their due share in life. When adults are dealing with childhood trauma, they often harshly criticize themselves and question why they didn’t deal with the situation differently. This can lead to hopelessness and frustration. However, it’s important to recognize that you likely weren’t responsible for what happened.
Childhood trauma occurred in the past, and now you need to take all the time you need to be patient and love yourself.
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The final stage is reaching out for help if you want to heal from childhood trauma. Seeking therapy is essential when dealing with childhood traumas as it provides a safe space to process painful experiences and develop coping strategies. Therapy helps break the cycle of trauma, addressing emotional and psychological wounds that, if left untreated, can lead to chronic mental health issues. In addition, therapeutic interventions can promote resilience and improve overall well-being, which enables individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Seeking support can often be challenging, but it’s important to remember that asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak. In fact, it takes a great deal of courage to open up and seek help. You should contact support groups that may be able to help and seek their guidance, support, and validation.
When you’re dealing with childhood trauma, you may often feel lonely and think that no one understands your situation. However, in reality, you can benefit a great deal from your loved ones or other trusted individuals if you rely on them. You could also reach out to a mental health professional who is an expert in childhood trauma and they will guide you and help you overcome your challenges.
Read more: What Childhood Trauma Do I Have?
Childhood trauma can cause a great deal of pain and make life difficult, even when you’ve grown up. However, you don’t need to struggle alone. Other people can help you, no matter how long it’s been since you experienced trauma. It’s important to reach out to professionals who can support you and provide you with the tools to live a healthier, happier life. You deserve to feel better, and seeking help is the first step toward healing.
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