Look Out for the Impact of Childhood Trauma on Your Well-Being

Childhood trauma can affect us and follow us into adulthood. The first few years of our lives are a delicate time in which our body and mind continue to grow. While we may or may not remember the details while growing up, sometimes, our bodies can carry the burden of trauma for a long time. This typically affects all areas of our lives, particularly mental and physical health.

Trauma is an external force that has a lasting impression on a child's growth and development. There is not a single definition or type of trauma. Rather, many things constitute trauma, such as abuse, neglect, witnessing a war, being involved in a disaster or road traffic accident. Trauma is not limited to these conditions, but this does not also mean that every experience is traumatic.

A mental health professional can help you gauge the impact of an experience on your health and suggest therapy accordingly. Whether trauma is specific in nature or complex, it can significantly deter well-being of an individual.

Childhood trauma can have long-lasting consequences on your mental health. (Image via Vecteezy/ Yulia Ryabokon)

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Impact of Childhood Trauma on Your Mental Health

Most people associate trauma with a single, big event that happened in their life. However, we now know that repeated, more subtle forms of trauma can take a toll on our mental health. Here are some common effects of childhood trauma:

What are some of the effects of trauma on our well-being? (Image via Vecteezy/ Elena Fom)

1. Vulnerability to mental health conditions

If you have ever been to therapy or thought about opting for it, one of the most common questions you'll be asked will concern your childhood history. This is especially the case if you have pre-existing symptoms.

Sometimes anxiety and symptoms of depression are not a result of current circumstances but rather of past events. You may not always experience a mental health issue as a direct consequence, but you can become more vulnerable to it.

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2. Identity confusion

You can be confused about your sense of self and worth if you have been impacted by trauma. (Image via Vecteezy/ Arif_ Vector)

A very important milestone that we fulfill as adolescents is discovering our identities. Even though this is a lifelong process, our early experiences have a big impact on it.

Adults who have experienced childhood trauma are likely to struggle with identity confusion, low self-esteem, and low self-worth. Naturally, if you have experienced neglect and invalidation while growing up, you will not know who you are.

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3. Difficulties in relationship

This is a very common consequence of childhood trauma. Individuals who have grown up with narcissistic, gaslighting, or abusive parents are likely to have difficulties trusting others.

This has a massive impact on your attachment style and how you bond with others. Since you felt unsafe in past relationships, you stay away from getting hurt in the future.

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4. Poor cognitive health

Trauma can be isolating, seek help when you can. (Image via Vecteezy/ Iryna Vladymyrova)

If the trauma continues to impact your daily functioning and different areas of your life, it can lead to the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This condition is characterized by various cognitive effects, such as difficulties paying attention, flashbacks, memory lapses, zoning out, and others. This also makes it difficult to manage work.

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What we all need to remember about childhood trauma is that it’s a deeply personal experience. Experiencing one of the events listed here might not have been traumatic for you, while it may be a hugely life-altering and traumatic experience for someone else, and vice versa.

If you have experienced a childhood trauma that has significantly impacted how you see yourself and your world, you may benefit from getting in touch with a mental health professional.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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