The Effects
of Childhood Trauma on Adulthood
‘Childhood Trauma’ (CT) is a scary and extreme sounding term, and not one that most
people would probably associate with their own childhoods. However all adults can
cast their minds back to episodes that they recall were frightening or upsetting at some
time or other. Most of these experiences help to build resilience and develop coping
strategies for facing future life traumas; they help us to prepare for the stresses we will
have to manage as adults in later life. However, there are some forms of CT that can
have lasting negative impacts on adulthood. These include some obvious and some
not-so-obvious examples:
• Physical and sexual assaults/abuse
• Psychological harm (i.e. ‘playing mind games’)
• Emotional harm (i.e. continuous put-downs or criticisms)
• Death of a close family member
• Parental divorce/discord
• Illnesses and accidents (of self or close family member)
• Mental instability/illness and drug or alcohol addiction of a parent (causing chaotic
lifestyles and explosive and unpredictable emotional reactions)
• An absence of stable and nurturing care
It is important to recognise that both severity (how bad the experience was) and
duration (how long it went on for) are the main indicators of maladjustment later
on. Not coping well with CTs (i.e. not grieving fully, learning to ignore or to react in
outburst, closing down communication with others, or blaming oneself) is likely to
affect adults in the following ways:
• Relationships with others; with a boss and colleagues (affecting employability,
earning potential and satisfaction in the work place); with one’s own parents
(affecting extended family and support networks); in romantic relationships
(affecting success at maintaining a marriage/long term partnership).
• Ability to maintain one’s own self of self; to keep a positive and optimistic outlook
and “inner dialogue” (the conversations we have with ourselves); to control our own
biorhythms (sleep and eating patterns, body temperature, and reducing cortisol
(stress) levels); to have a sense of calm and wellbeing, and to avoid mental health
problems and addictions.
• Relationships with our children and the ways that we expose or protect them from
CTs.
So how can we reduce the impact that CTs can have on adulthood?
• Get support – whether you are a parent whose child has experienced CTs or whether
you recognise that your own CTs are affecting your parenting styles now. Extended
family, friends and neighbours, and support groups can improve a bad situation
dramatically.
• Consider receiving professional therapeutic support – therapy doesn’t have to be
awkward one hour face to face sessions, you can get practical and therapeutic help
in and out of the home with key workers, educational psychologists and bereavement
counsellors as well as trauma specialists (contact Soul Support for more Written by Natalia, Director of Soul Support.
information). Therapeutic services supporting children and
adults in Spain. Tel: 0044 752 567 0913
• Look after yourself – believe it or not YOU are actually the most important member
of your family, and if you aren’t calm then chances are no own else around you will
be.
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