Almost everyone experiences trauma in their lifetime. But what are the long-term effects of childhood trauma? Do these events cause ripple effects throughout our lives?
The short answer is “yes.” There are many long-term negative effects of childhood trauma that people will continue to experience throughout their lives. For some, the consequences are more severe than others.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma?
The best thing you can do is to try and process the impact of your childhood trauma with the help and support of a professional .
Understanding the long-term impact of your trauma can also help you turn things around.
The Long-Term Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma is just as its name suggests. Childhood trauma is a traumatic event that occurs before you become an adult.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) come in many forms and are different for each person. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 60% of adults have experienced at least one ACE, while 16% have experienced four or more ACEs.
The more ACEs you experience, the greater the effect over time. ACEs fall into four main categories.
Four main categories of ACE:
1. Persecution
Abuse includes physical, verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse.
2. Waiver
This category consists of physical and emotional neglect.
3. Household Challenges
A child may experience a variety of challenges at home. These categories include:
- Divorce, separation, death, or abandonment of a parent
- Poverty or homelessness
- Being a witness to physical and emotional violence
- Substance abuse or mental illness in the family or home
- Serious accident or illness of a loved one
- Death of a pet or loved one
4. Community Incidents
Things that happen in society that impact a child include natural disasters, terrorism, community violence, violence in schools, or social rejection.
The signs of childhood trauma in adults are challenging for a fully developed adult mind. They are even more difficult for a child to cope with. Experiencing ACEs can increase the risk of substance use disorders, health problems, and mental health issues , even into adulthood.
Does Everyone Experience Long-Term Consequences of Childhood Trauma?
Not everyone who experiences childhood trauma has long-term consequences. Many circumstances influence how traumatic an event is to you and your ability to cope with it.
Five main influences in childhood trauma:
- How Serious Was the Event? Severity is subjective, but it is important. Did you experience serious physical injury? Was your life in danger? Did you lose a loved one? Depending on your developmental stage and the impact of the traumatic event on your daily life, the impact can vary.
- How Close is the Trauma to You? Trauma can affect people who are not even close to us. Often, the closer you are, the greater the impact of the trauma. Whether you are a victim, a witness, or something you are learning determines how much the trauma impacts you.
- How Did Your Caregiver React to Trauma? Feeling understood by your parent or caregiver facilitates a harmonious and trusting relationship. Harmony can help you feel accepted, loved, and better prepared to deal with trauma. For those who did not grow up feeling understood by their caregivers, this lack of attention can exacerbate childhood trauma.
- Previous Trauma? People experience different types of trauma throughout their lives. For example, you may have experienced a traumatic event in your home or life. If so, the impact of that trauma on you may be even more severe.
- Is There Support or Backlash from Your Community? Our communities and social identities impact us in many ways. Whether it’s your race, ethnicity, culture, or socioeconomic status, the people around you respond to traumatic events differently. Having a supportive community can have a positive impact on your child and reduce the risk of childhood trauma in the long run.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma?
At the time of trauma and immediately afterward, your brain and body experience neurochemical and biological reactions. Your body tries to return to a calm state and cope with the situation. However, these negative experiences often have ripple effects throughout your life.
Health Risks Associated with Childhood Trauma
When you experience a traumatic event, your body and mind go into overdrive. The surge of stress hormones in your body that causes you to go into fight-or-flight mode can linger with you, taking a toll on your physical health. People who experienced childhood trauma are at higher risk for:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Addicted
Emotional Risks Associated with Childhood Trauma
The emotional and psychological damage that childhood trauma can cause is perhaps one of the most devastating long-term effects. Unable to cope with the stress of the situation, you may feel the effects of the trauma for years to come.
You may even experience memory loss caused by childhood trauma.
Emotional concerns associated with childhood trauma include:
Anger and aggression
Anxiety
Lack of trust
Low self-esteem
Changes in appetite
New fears develop
Increased thoughts about safety or death
Loss of interest in enjoyable activities
Self-destructive behavior
Suicidal ideation
Environmental Risks Associated with Childhood Trauma
Your mental health and physical well-being can also cause further damage to your intimate life and career path. Emotional instability from childhood trauma can cause problems, even in adult relationships.
Environmental risks associated with childhood trauma include:
- Poor job performance
- Relationship challenges with partners and friends
- Difficulty maintaining routines or completing daily tasks
- Poor academic performance
Healing the Impact of Childhood Trauma at Integrative Life Center
Like other types of trauma, ACEs shape how you view the world. Trauma also affects how you interact with others, including therapists. Healing from childhood trauma requires treatment, but a trauma-informed approach is essential.
Trauma-focused therapy shifts the focus from your current situation to, “What happened to you?” Whatever the impact of the trauma on you, your therapist will develop a plan to help you heal. Throughout the process, your therapist will actively avoid re-traumatizing you.
Addressing childhood trauma requires a partnership between client and therapist, says Carmen Dominguez, Executive Clinical Director at Integrative Life Center. Our goal is to lead clients on a path toward building safety, dignity, and connection.
Your therapist will work to build a trusting relationship with you. Building a safe relationship frees you to explore your traumatic experiences and how they lead to problematic behavior. Then, you can understand the reasons behind your behavior.
We want to inspire clients to be curious about what’s behind some of their self-defeating patterns, says Carmen.
We care deeply about handling the entire existence of our clients.
Healing Requires a Holistic Approach
Helping people understand how their body, mind, and spirit are impacted by unresolved trauma is also key to their healing, Carmen says.
Because childhood trauma affects every aspect of your personality, so does effective therapy.
No two people are the same. Trauma-literate therapists value your agency, working with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses every aspect of you.
Evidence Based Care
Through therapy, you can overcome childhood trauma. Here are some evidence-based treatments that can help you improve your overall quality of life:
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Brain Discovery Therapy
ILC understands that holistic healing requires a customized approach. In addition to traditional therapies, we also offer a number of experiential therapies to broaden your scope of care. These therapies include:
- Horse therapy
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Journaling
- Physical activities, including rope courses, kayaking and yoga
- Psychodrama
- Martial arts
- Wim Hof breathing exercises
We use experiential therapies with evidence-based treatments to help you live your most fulfilling life. Our programs help you discover who you are by strengthening your inner wisdom and restoring balance between your mind, body, and spirit.
Is It Possible to Overcome Childhood Trauma?
The long-term effects of child abuse from negative childhood experiences are difficult. You don’t have to go through it alone. A therapist can help you recognize, work through, and heal from your past experiences.
At Integrative Life Center, we offer trauma-focused therapy in Nashville to help you overcome childhood trauma and live life to the fullest.
It’s never too late to overcome your childhood trauma. Every day of your life has value, and so does every step of your recovery. If you’re ready to get your life back, contact us today.
REFERENCE
Indonesian Psychology Association. (2024). Social Media Use Related to Your Mental Health Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma.
