Everybody deserves to grow up in a happy and healthy environment. But traumatic effects can negatively affect a child’s normal development. And these effects are more likely to linger into adulthood.
The SAMHSA reports that more than two-thirds of American children have encountered at least one traumatic event at 16. Fortunately, help is always available to help people make peace with their troubled past. Reputable psychotherapy centers can also provide victims with resources to help them move forward and live healthy lives.
This article will discuss trauma and the four warning signs someone may suffer from the long-term effects.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma generally refers to a person’s psychological and emotional response to a highly distressing event or experience. It’s crucial to remember that there is no definitive cause of trauma. Everybody reacts and processes these painful events differently, and factors such as the quality of their support system can affect how they work through their childhood trauma.
When used loosely, trauma can refer to distressing experiences, such as losing a loved one, having a severe illness or accident, being a victim of abuse, bullying, or violence, and being neglected. People may also suffer from trauma if a natural disaster affects them in their younger years.
4 Red Flags of Lingering Childhood Trauma
After briefly discussing trauma, this section will look at the four warning signs people might be dealing with childhood trauma’s long-term effects in adulthood.
1. Struggling to Form Attachments and Relationships
Whether it’s a relationship with a significant other, a group of friends, or family, forming and maintaining healthy attachments is essential to have a thriving social life. Unfortunately, that can be a struggle for adults who suffered from a trauma during their formative years.
For instance, if a person’s childhood trauma stems from an abusive adult, it can cause them to form trust issues among adults. These trust issues can linger into adulthood and affect their ability to establish healthy relationships with others.
Psychotherapy can help victims form healthier relationships by teaching them how to communicate effectively, deal with conflict, and set boundaries.
2. Problems Regulating Emotions
Emotions are typical in people’s lives, but childhood trauma victims may struggle to regulate and control their emotions. This problem can manifest in different ways, such as uncontrollable anger, depression, anxiety, and withdrawal. Anyone who suffered from childhood trauma may also struggle to express their emotions.
Booking psychotherapy sessions can help victims better manage their emotions by helping them understand their feelings and how to cope with them.
3. May Suffer from PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder may occur in some people after witnessing or experiencing a distressing life event. This psychiatric disorder doesn’t discriminate and can affect people of any age, gender, race, and nationality.
While several people may be aware that PTSD stems from unresolved traumas, this mental health issue doesn’t affect everyone who experiences trauma.
This disorder can manifest in different ways, such as risky behaviors, trust issues, isolation, flashbacks or nightmares from the event, withdrawal, depression, anxiety, and anger.
4. Increased Risk of Severe Health Issues
Lastly, besides affecting the victim’s emotional and mental health, childhood trauma can also influence their physical health. Research shows that children who suffer from abusive relationships are more prone to developing stroke, diabetes, asthma, and coronary artery disease. They’re also more prone to developing suicidal thoughts.
Moving Forward to a Happier Chapter
Childhood trauma can significantly affect people’s lives, including their health and how they interact with others. Booking psychotherapy sessions can help them access valuable resources to cope and move forward to live their best lives.
Therapy 24×7 offers online psychotherapy services in Brooklyn, New York, to help childhood trauma victims make peace with their troubled past. Book an appointment today to start writing a happier chapter.