Understanding The Effects Of Childhood Trauma On Adult Mental Health And Seeking Help
Experiencing childhood trauma has effects that last far beyond a singular traumatic event. When children experience trauma in early childhood frequently referred to as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) the effects of that trauma can last for years after the trauma has occurred. In severe cases, the effects of childhood trauma can last for the rest of their adult lives and manifest as chronic physical ailments or a proclivity to engage in risky behaviors.
When childhood trauma impacts adulthood in such ways, many people wonder if it’s possible to cope and move forward. Is it possible to overcome childhood trauma in adulthood? What are the most effective treatment approaches for healing childhood emotional wounds? In this article, we discuss symptoms of childhood trauma that are typically observable in adulthood, the potential impacts of experiencing or witnessing trauma in early childhood, and strategies for coping effectively in the face of stress.
Symptoms of childhood trauma in adults
Early childhood trauma involves traumatic experiences that occur in a child's life when they are between the ages of 0-6. According to mental health researchers, the earlier in their lives that a child experiences trauma, the longer lasting the effects are likely to be. Examples of childhood trauma include being a witness to or survivor of domestic violence, family violence, neighborhood violence, physical abuse, sexual abuse, natural disasters, or war.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the situations described above, you can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline or call their 24/7 number at 800-799-7233. You can alternatively text START to 88788.
Symptoms of childhood trauma in adults are affected by early exposure. Earlier exposure to traumatic events in childhood can affect brain development, and these effects may not show up until later in life. When the symptoms of childhood trauma do manifest in adulthood, they often show up in the form of developmental disorders or mental health disorders. The damaging and traumatic effects of experiencing childhood trauma last a lifetime.
Traumatic events experienced at an early age can develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that affects approximately 3.6% (or 7.7 million) of the American population annually. PTSD normally develops in response to being a part of or witnessing a highly traumatic event, such as a morbid death, cataclysmic natural disaster, or sexual assault. Other examples of events that can trigger PTSD include war, domestic violence, vehicular accidents, and being taken hostage or kidnapped.
People who experience more than one trauma in their lifetime often end up experiencing a complex form of post-traumatic stress disorder called C-PTSD. Complex post-traumatic stress disorder is a more severe form of post-traumatic stress that happens as a result of compounding trauma. The situation with complex post-traumatic stress is the same in that, the earlier in childhood that people are exposed to these compounding traumas, the more severe their symptoms are likely to be in adulthood. Adults who have been recently diagnosed with this new form of PTSD are likely to be screened for childhood trauma during their initial consultation with mental health care providers.
Other common symptoms of childhood trauma in adults include the development of substance use disorders and addiction issues with alcohol which often coincide with a mental health diagnosis. When people get treatment for childhood trauma that have compounding issues like alcohol addiction or substance use, they should seek treatment for all of the issues concurrently. For example, a person who is in therapy for childhood trauma and who also has an addiction to alcohol will be required to attend additional therapy sessions and participate in programs for alcohol treatment simultaneously.
When you visit a psychiatrist or other licensed mental health professional for assessment and screening, you'll be presented with a series of questionnaires, including a childhood trauma questionnaire or the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Questionnaire that asks questions about the first 18 years of your life to determine if you're potentially experiencing the effects of traumatic childhood events.
Overcoming childhood trauma
The first step to overcoming early childhood trauma is to acknowledge the reality that your pain is not only stemming from a valid mental health issue but also as a physical medical issue. Trauma has a lasting effect on the body and mind. It can leave deep emotional wounds that manifest in the body as chronic aches, pains, and other somatic symptoms.
Begin by acknowledging the effects that childhood trauma has had on you. Once you realize that you have been affected by childhood trauma, the next step is to reach out for support from a licensed professional. If you're not sure where to start, you can request a child trauma questionnaire to screen for a childhood diagnosis. However you proceed, strive not to blame yourself. You didn't have any choice in your circumstances as a child, and you didn't ask to witness or experience what you went through.
Early childhood trauma can interrupt brain development, which can lead to other physical health symptoms in the body. As more research is done on the effects of mental illness on the body, mental health care and medical health providers are working in tandem to develop a holistic solution which treats both the body and the mind.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the methods of treatment that today's behavioral health professionals use for helping clients overcome mental health trauma. Trauma-informed therapy helps people who have experienced traumatic events in their lives to find understanding, relief, and new ways to cope.
One of the main components of overcoming the effects of childhood trauma is to be honest with yourself about the process. Being honest with yourself as you begin the process of healing means understanding that you may have a long road to walk and committing yourself to the process anyway. Acknowledge what happened to you. Be kind to the child or teenager who had to do what they did in order to survive.
Getting therapy and medication management allows mental health clients to improve the quality of their lives and requires a daily commitment to the process. Committing to the process means attending all scheduled therapy sessions, taking all prescribed medications, and incorporating new coping strategies and skills into everyday life.
Heal from childhood trauma using online therapy
Online therapy options are available for adult survivors of childhood trauma who are still experiencing the negative effects later in life. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of psychotherapy are available, and you can book sessions with your counselor at times that work for your schedule. Additionally, there is no need to travel to an in-person therapist’s office. You can meet virtually with your dedicated counselor from the comfort of your own home or office, provided you have a stable internet connection.
The certified mental health experts on MyTherapist can guide users down a path to wellness by teaching mindfulness techniques and using therapeutic approaches that enable a person to go through a meaningful process of forgiveness. The key to benefiting from therapy for PTSD or overcoming trauma is to try to have an open mind.
Your online therapist will ask you questions as an in-office therapist would. During your session, you and your therapist will discuss how your treatment plan is going and how taking part in therapy helps you make better decisions in your life. Flexibility is another key factor in your success with online therapy. Sometimes, you and your therapist will want to make adjustments to the plan. Always let your online counselor know how you’re feeling – they will not judge you for whatever information you have.
Online therapy has shown efficacy in reducing the symptoms of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and specific phobias, to name a few examples. In multiple studies, researchers have confirmed no significant differences in effectiveness between online therapy and face-to-face therapy.
Takeaway
Now that you understand the effects of childhood trauma on adult mental health, you can make more informed decisions when deciding to seek therapy and support. Over 57.8 million Americans annually experience symptoms of mental illness. Many of these people have experienced early childhood trauma, which aggravates their condition. You are not alone, and there are professionals trained in trauma-based therapy who are eager to be of service. When you’re ready to start forging a path toward healing, reach out to a MyTherapist online counselor today. You deserve to feel good.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the long-term effects of childhood trauma?
The long-term effects of childhood trauma caused by traumatic events in one’s childhood, such as witnessing domestic violence, family violence, sexual abuse, war, or natural disasters. PTSD is also associated with an increased risk of addiction to alcohol, substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety.
How does childhood trauma affect relationships?
Adults will often mimic the same behaviors experienced in their childhood. Traumatic experiences in one’s childhood, such as witnessing a traumatic event, experiencing medical trauma, or enduring childhood abuse, can cause long-term effects that carry over into adulthood.
Child trauma can cause three different types of unhealthy attachment behaviors in adults. The first type of attachment behavior is dismissive-avoidant attachment, where the individual prioritizes independence and is uncomfortable being openly vulnerable with their emotions. They may even deny themselves the need for intimate relationships. Dismissive-avoidant attachment in adults is usually the byproduct of adverse childhood experiences where the individual pulled away emotionally as a child as a means of avoiding feelings of rejection from their caregivers.
Fearful-avoidant attachment in adults, which stems from an individual experiencing childhood abuse, is another form of unhealthy relational attachment. In this case, the individual longs for intimate relationships but fears being hurt or rejected, causing them to avoid offering emotional availability to others.
Anxious-preoccupied attachment can occur in individuals whose experiences in childhood with their caregivers were hot or cold. Their caregivers were at times nurturing and caring, while other times were rejecting or emotionally detached. This can cause the adult individual to crave constant validation in their intimate relationships and become clingy with their significant other.
Does childhood trauma cause personality disorders in adulthood?
Yes, adverse childhood experiences in childhood can cause personality disorders in adults. There is a link between the number and type of childhood trauma and the development of personality disorders. Individuals with borderline personality disorder have high rates of traumatic experiences in childhood, specifically childhood sexual trauma. Even verbal abuse has been shown to have long-term effects on a child that makes them three times as likely to have borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or paranoid personality disorder in adulthood.
How do you know if you have repressed childhood trauma?
There are signs you have repressed child trauma from adverse childhood experiences, including a strong reaction to people who exhibit behaviors that call to mind past negative experiences. Trauma and PTSD often go hand in hand, and another sign you have repressed child trauma is experiencing extreme anxiety when triggered by a specific place or situation. Even sights, sounds, or smells associated with a traumatic event can trigger anxiety.
Childhood adversity can also cause an adult individual to struggle with mood control when repressing childhood trauma. Little things can cause an outburst of anger and the inability to control one’s emotions. Fear of being abandoned is also a sign of repressed childhood trauma. Traumatized children sometimes encounter abandonment by their caregiver, causing them to fear abandonment as an adults.
What are the lasting effects of trauma on children’s brains?
Effects of childhood trauma on children’s brains include attachment issues such as relational difficulties, boundary issues, and social isolation. Experienced trauma can also cause emotional control problems. The child can experience difficulty identifying or labeling feelings and communicating their needs. Difficulty in controlling behavior is also an effect of trauma on a child’s brain, causing difficulty controlling impulses, aggression, and disrupted sleeping and eating patterns.
What happens if childhood trauma is not resolved?
Trauma in childhood can cause long-lasting problems in an adult individual when the experienced trauma has not been resolved. Attachment issues, anxiety, feelings of shame or guilt, emotional instability, and more can all emerge from unresolved childhood adversity. Trauma and PTSD are inexorably linked in adult individuals with unresolved childhood trauma, as well.
What does childhood trauma look like in adults?
Effects of childhood trauma in adults show up in three kinds of symptoms: emotional, physical, and behavioral. Emotional symptoms include anger, anxiety, emotional outbursts, and unresponsiveness. Physical symptoms include shakiness, poor concentration, lethargy, and trouble sleeping. Behavioral symptoms include isolation, impulsiveness, eating disorders, and disorientation.
How do you comfort someone with childhood trauma?
You can comfort someone who has experienced trauma in childhood in a variety of ways. It is important to understand in comforting someone who encountered traumatic childhood experiences that you cannot “cure” them. You should also never take things personally when comforting someone with childhood trauma, and always respect their boundaries.
Supporting them during the course of their treatment and keeping open communication are wonderful ways to comfort them, as well. Let them know you’re “safe” and are always here for them when needed. Also, depending on the nature of their trauma, they may be more or less comfortable with you physically comforting them, as through a friendly embrace. If you’re unsure, always ask.
How Can You Tell If Someone Has Had Trauma?
Everyone copes with trauma differently, and childhood experiences are not one in the same. A traumatic event stemming from one’s childhood could have been caused by medical trauma, child abuse, or the witnessing of domestic violence, among other causes. Because of these many triggers, there isn’t an absolute identifier of someone who has had trauma other than them specifically telling you as much.
Trauma and PTSD are heavily linked, so one sign of trauma is PTSD. Anxiety and feelings of sadness, disconnectedness, emotional outbursts, lethargy, and more are potential indicators someone has had childhood experiences that caused trauma.
Can childhood trauma cause permanent damage?
Can abandonment issues cause childhood trauma?
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