Is Childhood Trauma Affecting Your Life?
(Yes You Can Heal)

Trauma can sometimes be straightforward to spot – such as physical or sexual abuse. However, there are numerous other forms of childhood trauma that you may not think about. Neglect and the loss of a parent can cause immense trauma; so too can serious conditions in youth, learning disabilities leading to self-doubt, having an excessive number of siblings, being raised by emotionally distant parents or those who lived through their own traumas as children – even combinations thereof!

The childhood trauma may also come from traumatic events such as accidents, natural disasters or war. In some cases, childhood trauma can be caused by societal issues such as poverty and racism. All of these experiences can have a long-lasting impact on mental health and emotional development. It is important to recognize the many sources of childhood trauma so that it can be addressed and managed appropriately.

If childhood trauma is not addressed, it can lead to serious issues such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, low self-esteem and substance abuse. You may have even experienced some of these yourself.

Loss of a parent

Being deprived of a parent due to death or abandonment during your childhood can be one of the most gut-wrenching traumas you may ever experience. Even if well-cared for through other relatives, or by your remaining parent, this type of loss is something that goes far beyond the surface and leaves an emotional scar on those affected. If such grief wasn’t sufficiently seen, felt or expressed at the time it occurred however; then deep within yourself lies years worth of unexpressed sorrow which must still be mourned in order for healing to take place.

If you were young when a loved one was taken away or suddenly gone, it taught you that loss can happen at any time. This fear of losing someone again causes anxiety and affects your self-esteem even into adulthood; no matter how old you are when the trauma occurs. It becomes especially difficult to maintain close relationships because they signify the risk of potential heartache in the future.

Neglect

Growing up with neglect equates to having one’s emotional or physical needs unmet. In most cases, this is due to your parents being overburdened and consumed by other matters, but it can also be a result of mental illness that may lead them to expect you to take on the role as parent for your siblings or complete more household tasks than necessary.

Whatever the reason may be, your needs for love and security were neglected or even disregarded. No child should ever have to endure exploitation because of a parent’s wants. Children should always come first, especially when it comes to their emotional and physical wellbeing — if yours didn’t receive proper attention then you experienced neglect.

A learning disability

If you faced any struggles with learning, such as dyslexia or ADHD, it could have been very difficult to feel like everyone else. Even for the brightest minds out there who go undiagnosed and don’t receive proper help can start believing they aren’t smart enough. It is essential that we provide adequate assistance to those living with learning disabilities in order for them to conquer their journey of self-development and recognize their true potentials.

The repercussions of learning difficulties of your self-esteem can be devastating. You may have battled against insurmountable obstacles or given up completely – either way, you were never able to attain the results that you wanted. If this resonates with you, it could mean that you are still too obsessed with perfectionism; constantly trying to please yet feeling unworthy at the same time. Alternatively, even if your problems appear solved externally – their effects will linger deep within and cause lasting damage which might not necessarily surface immediately.

Severe childhood illnesses

Have you ever battled a life-threatening childhood illness? If so, then understand that your experience is shared by many others in similar situations. Chances are, it caused you to be excluded from customary social activities and made you feel lonely and different. Perhaps even scared.

Feeling socially uncomfortable or not knowing where you fit in could be a result of your hospitalization experience. Separating from parents, enduring medical procedures that can cause trauma, and being overcome with fear are all common during this time. If the attachment to your parents was strong and they were available for support throughout the process, then it may help ease any anxiety moving forward. But if there wasn’t security in those attachments or emotional availability before/during/after – then insecurity might still remain within current relationships due to feeling unsupported during such an important moment earlier on.

Having too many siblings can be a problem.

Have you grown up in a large family where resources seemed scarce? Often, when there are multiple siblings born close together and mothers who feel exhausted with their responsibilities towards them, it can be difficult to get your needs met. You may have felt like you were left wanting more than ever before.

Being the eldest in a family of several siblings can be both rewarding and trying. Despite the unconditional love within your household or lack thereof. Growing up with multiple brothers and sisters can have psychological impacts that last well into adulthood. You may have felt alone and invisible among the crowd of your siblings. Ignored, unnoticed, disregarded – you’ve never had the opportunity to be heard or appreciated for who you are. This can create feelings of emotional neglect and insecurity in a child that they will not receive love unless they become givers themselves instead of receivers. You might even feel lost with an intense need to belong without ever feeling like you achieve it completely; this problem is further compounded when mothers are either detached or absent from their children’s lives entirely.

Parents who are emotionally distant, disconnected, or overly anxious.

The scars of an absent parent can last a lifetime. Growing up without someone to listen, embrace and validate your feelings is devastating for children. Every child needs that sense of security and comfort – the feeling of being seen, heard, held and cherished by their parents as they grow up.

You may have been taught to be apprehensive and accept that love was not a given. Also if you had an anxious parent, who feared the worst and hid from society or refused to believe in trust. It may be understandable why such feelings of doubt linger within you.

The fear of a parent can ooze into the pores of their children, leaving them emotionally scarred and apprehensive. With this trauma comes an unexpected burden: inheriting anxiety from your parents you never even knew existed. Trauma can often be passed down from generation to generation, and a parent who is emotionally disconnected or anxious likely endured their own trauma as well.