The experiences that we have in our childhood can affect us for the rest of our lives, for better or for worse. As children, we don’t yet have the mental capacity to understand what we’ve experienced or why the effects are significant. When it comes to traumatic or distressing experiences, children often also don’t have the resources or ability to cope with the pain of these experiences in a productive way. Instead, many individuals file away their childhood trauma and pretend as if the traumatic events never happened. These individuals may avoid talking about childhood trauma or even thinking about the subject. 

However, the trauma doesn’t just go away, no matter how hard you try to ignore it. Childhood trauma can still come back to haunt you even as an adult. The trauma can take a major toll on your mental health and can cause many people to turn to substance misuse as a way to cope. If you’ve experienced childhood trauma, you are still capable of healing and finding peace as an adult. 

Understanding the Different Types of Childhood Trauma 

Trauma is any sort of distressing event that is often associated with shock, denial, and even hopelessness. It can make it very difficult for an individual to move on with their life. Some people experience childhood trauma only to never realize it until they are much older. Trauma can be direct in the sense that the individual experienced the event themselves. It can also be indirect in that they saw it occur to someone else, often someone they were close to. 

Some of the most common forms of childhood trauma include: 

• Being bullied 
• Experiencing verbal, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse
• Watching someone be domestically abused, such as one parent against another parent
• Being in a car crash or other type of accident 
• Losing a loved one 
• Watching a loved one experience a serious illness or injury or being seriously injured themselves
• Being neglected 
• Having a parent be deployed in the military for long periods of time
• Watching a parent struggle with substance misuse
• Losing a family member suddenly 
• Witnessing a natural disaster 
• Experiencing violence in school or in the community

Recognizing the Signs of Childhood Trauma 

It’s important to be able to recognize the signs of childhood trauma not only in yourself but in the children in your own life. This way, treatment can begin as soon as possible. 

The following are some of the most common signs:

#1 Difficulties With Interpersonal Relationships 

The individual may be hesitant or unwilling to develop relationships with others. This could be out of fear of growing attached to someone only to lose them as they lost someone in their past. Furthermore, this could be due to a lack of trust after being let down or disappointed by someone in the past. 

When children are neglected or not given the love and attention that they deserve growing up, it can affect their self-esteem for the rest of their lives. They may view themselves as undeserving of love or affection. When they grow older and enter the dating world, they may purposefully stay in unhealthy relationships because they don’t realize that they deserve better. 

#2 Fear and Anxiety 

As a result of trauma, the person may struggle with unrealistic fear. Due to their past trauma, they may be unnecessarily on edge at all times. Moreover, the person may worry excessively. This behavior is often tied to whatever experience they had in the past. For example, if they were in a car crash, they may worry that it will somehow happen again. 

#3 Mental Health Struggles

The individual may struggle with depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These difficulties can cause them to isolate themselves from others and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. 

Beginning the Healing Process 

The first step in the healing process involves recognizing the trauma, as painful as the situation is and as much as you don’t want to think about your experience. You can find it difficult to accept that trauma has occurred and that you’re struggling, but this step is essential to your healing journey. 

Make sure that you don’t blame yourself for what happened or for how you responded to it. Just because you have experienced trauma doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you or that you have anything to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. You are not alone. In reality, many people experience some form of trauma at some point in their lives. 

The next step in healing is to reach out for professional help. Start by speaking with your primary care provider. Be open and honest about what you’re experiencing. Your provider may diagnose you with depression, anxiety, or PTSD if they deem that to be appropriate. They may also recommend prescription medication to alleviate your symptoms. You will then be instructed to work with a therapist. Your therapist can help guide you through what happened and how it made you feel. You can then begin the healing process. 

Childhood experiences can affect us for the rest of our lives. When a child experiences a traumatic situation, they don’t know how to process what happened. A child does not have the mental capacity to deal with the experience, so they often stuff it away and refuse to believe it ever happened. However, childhood trauma cannot be ignored forever. It stays with a person and can affect them well into adulthood. It’s critical to approach childhood trauma head-on, accept what happened, and reach out for professional help. If you’re struggling with a substance use disorder, our team at The Kimberly Center can help. Call (855) 452-3683 today to learn more. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.