Mindcool – The World’s First Hybrid Mindfulness Platform
Childhood is a period before adolescence, during which most of our learning and growth occurs. The majority of this time is used for fun and play, a period where there are no major responsibilities for most people. During this period, a child’s or loved one’s ignorance or misfortune can be taken advantage of, resulting in overwhelming feelings of vulnerability and shock, which can hit on your younger self and cause an undigested experience that may be embodied in your current self.
Trauma is the emotional and mental impact of a terrifying, painful, or upsetting experience. It occurs when the experience feels overwhelming, and individuals are unable to handle or cope, resulting in a lasting impact on thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Anyone, especially a child who experiences an incident that evokes fear or is unable to cope with the situation, may develop childhood trauma. The event may seem simple, but its effect is everlasting and has a long-term effect on life. Each individual is different, so its intensity; no one can generalize it as a simple or complex event unless and until we put ourselves in their shoes, but still, there is an uncertainty to fully understand what the victim went through.
Types of Childhood Trauma
Abuse
Consists of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
- Physical Abuse: Involves intentional harm or injury to a child through hitting, punching, kicking, or any other form of physical harm that causes pain or injury.
- Sexual Abuse: any unwanted sexual activity forced upon a child, including molestation, rape, and exploitation.
- Emotional Abuse: Any form of verbal or nonverbal actions, including verbal assaults or bullying, threats, rejection, and constant criticism that undermine a child’s self-worth and emotional well-being.
Neglect
Involves both physical and emotional neglect. This occurs when caregivers do not adequately meet the basic needs and supervision of a child.
- Physical Neglect: means the lack of meeting basic needs, such as food, shelter, clothing or medical care
- Emotional neglect: The lack of affection, nurturing, or emotional support from individuals.
Witnessing violence
Involvement of other individuals in domestic or communal violence that can indirectly traumatize the child. For example, witnessing people with drug or alcohol abuse, untreated mental illness, divorce, and much more.
Trauma and its effects
The majority of people may have experienced childhood trauma to various levels. Even though we present a perfect figure or life to others, deep down, we all know our own shortcomings and vulnerabilities. If anyone ever challenged them, we would get flustered in numerous ways, resulting in unwanted situations and solutions.
Childhood trauma can be physical, emotional, sexual, or involve exposure to these traumatic events. This means that the individual themselves will be the direct victim or can be an indirect victim where they are exposed to a vulnerable situation, such as children who witness a natural disaster and the loss of their near ones or are exposed to a violent family or community or see constant torture or an event. Trauma can be anything that shakes the core nature of a human being when exposed and unable to cope with its effect on the mind, body, and even the soul, which eventually cracks us.
We must understand how trauma affects an individual’s behaviour. Trauma can be caused by an event, recurrent events, or chronic events and influences every individual associated with it at varying intensities. Some individuals experience obvious symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); others may withstand it, or in mild cases, that might not meet the formal diagnostic criteria but still impact the emotional and behavioural health of the person.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma responses may manifest instantly after an incident or may be realised later. Such reactions can influence feelings, the body, and way of thinking, behaviour, and even personal beliefs. Childhood trauma often shapes how the person develops, socialises, and forms relationships, and their entire view of the world
Emotional responses might be difficult in describing emotions and internal experiences, numbness, fear, anxiety, helplessness, emotional overwhelm, outbursts or withdrawal, difficulty in calming, trusting others, detachment, irritability, shame, guilt, low self-esteem, and increased feelings of vulnerability.
Bodily reactions may include sensorimotor development problems, faintness, muscle shaking, heart beating, paleness, shivering, breathing or blood pressure increase, startle response, sleep disturbances, nightmares, or other physical manifestations of stress, and so on.
Cognitive impulses can include inability to focus or poor concentration, memory loss, disorientation, lack of sustained curiosity, intrusive memories or flashbacks, problems with language development, problems with communication needs, learning difficulties, developmental delays, self-blame, and much more
Behavioral reactions usually include avoidance of reminders of the incident, diminished interpersonal interaction, poor relationships, social isolation, low activity levels, self-destructive behaviour, aggressive behaviour, sleep or appetite changes, oppositional behaviour, inability to express feelings, avoidance of behaviour, or increased startle reflex, etc.
How it’s affecting us
As adults, the effects of childhood trauma can persist throughout our lives. These effects can hinder a person’s growth and development, even in a relationship, in their self-esteem, confidence, personality, behaviours, and all. Thus, it causes depression, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor self-esteem, self-sabotage or self-destructive behaviours, and trust issues. For instance, a child who experiences abuse can express ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganised styles of attachment; may develop trust issues with their partner if a timely intervention is not taken. They may be unable to open up or express fully, even though the person loves the partner, resulting in constant bickering, trust issues, and much more due to a lack of expression and communication, which may result in the permanent dissolution of their relationship. Additionally, when traumatic experiences pile up, to escape painful memories, people depend upon other unhealthy habits that, in turn, result in a chain of health issues and self-harming behaviours.
Therefore, what we can do without breaking ourselves is to believe in ourselves and let ourselves heal, rather than taking the unwanted past burden with us and making ourselves miserable by bending or submitting to it. Remember, you are the ultimate controller of your life; you are the only one who can walk your life; everything other than you is a supporting factor. Identify your triggers, conduct a self-analysis, and express your emotions through writing (like journaling) rather than overthinking it. When you become aware of yourself, you can form a healthy habitat that involves you fully, with your mind (like grounding techniques) and body (such as singing, dancing, and exercising). Ultimately, with the help of professionals in the field of mental health, a person can overcome adversity and manage themselves. Therefore, do not be reluctant or shy to address your concerns rather than focus on healing, and do not hesitate to reach out to professionals. If you are unable to find words to speak or cannot see yourself because of overwhelming emotions, make sure to consult a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist to relieve your burden, obtain clarity on your condition, and resolve the issues.
Do not doubt yourself and get stuck in front of the stone or a mountain of issues, but be brave enough to look through it into the coming future and stay healthy.
