Impact Of Childhood Trauma On Adult Mental Health
Children are very dependent hence, more vulnerable to trauma than adults. It can occur in the form of neglect, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse leading to shame, guilt, diminished self-worth and sometimes even self-harm and suicidal tendencies. Children are susceptible to bullying through community, school violence, parents, teachers and care givers even. It is unfortunate that adult bullying towards children goes largely unnoticed due to lack of education and awareness on the part of the adult. This triggers feelings of rejection, isolation, and low self-esteem, leading to anger, disconnect, depression, and/or anxiety. Witnessing or being victim to domestic violence can instil attachment and trust issues. While experiencing disasters or terrorism may drive individuals to substance abuse to cope with intense fear. Trauma when unprocessed finds its home in our body and stays in it as unconscious emotional wounds that manifest both psychologically and physiologically. This unhealthy manifestation can develop self-defeating beliefs like. “The world is bad” and “I’m bad”, making us feel unsafe, lonely and cut off from the world as an adult.
In my opinion emotional abuse, is critically damaging leading to grave long term life consequences due to its invisible nature. The adults feel entitled to manipulate and dictate the child, targeting their vulnerable mind as the children are still discovering their true self. Sadly, it's often inflicted by those closest to the child maybe even without bad intent.
These adults often perpetuate generational trauma, passing down pain through time until someone confronts it. Children are expected to meet emotional standards beyond their understanding, because the adults struggle to accept their own emotional discomfort. Consequently, children can start feeling that their age-appropriate feelings and reactions are wrong therefore unaccepted eventually, leading to shame and lack of acceptance of their own emotions, needs and desires even as adults. Children are left without the resources they need to regulate their emotions and nervous system on the whole leading to disconnection or suppression of discomforting feelings as adults.
The pain and shame of the generations that came before them is not their burden to carry. Through self-work, therapy, meditation and support we can learn to feel safe and accept the aloneness that comes with it. It can be viewed as a healing aloneness that is liberating and exhilarating or lonely and painful without validation from those, we may crave it from the most. There is so much freedom in living without the conditioned and force-fed deep routed projections that do not belong to us. “We discover our truest self, when we let go of who we’re not”.
Healing from trauma
Research indicates childhood trauma increases chances of mental and physical health issues, personality disorders, impaired relationship skills and overall brain function. Learning to feel and address the emotions is essential. Childhood trauma can be released with support from a therapist. Here are a few guidelines.
1) Ground yourself through mindful techniques.
2) Recall the event with ease and conscious breathing.
3) Notice your body's sensations.
4) Label emotions consciously.
5) Fully experience emotions.
6) Share with your therapist for support and release.
7) Practice self-love and positive self-talk.
8) Faith in the self, the therapist and most importantly the divine universe.
We have all been victims of trauma. Our humanness defines us as much as it does not and it is in this duality that lies both, the beauty of who we are along with the healing nectar of life. Non-judgemental acceptance can be very comforting and liberating for our tender inner child. This path of liberation holds healing, infinite power and resurrection – taking us from victim to VICTOR.
