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What Are the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma?


Almost everyone experiences trauma throughout their lives. But what are the long-term effects of childhood trauma? Do these events cause a ripple effect throughout our lives?


The short answer is “yes.” There are many adverse long-term effects of childhood trauma that stay with people throughout their lives. For some, the consequences are more severe than for others.


▪️What is Childhood Trauma?


Childhood trauma is just as it sounds. It’s traumatic events that happen before you become an adult. Adverse Childhood Experiences come in many forms and look different from person to person. Some people even suffer from memory loss caused by childhood trauma. ACEs fall into four main categories.


▪️Four main categories of ACEs:


1. Abuse. Abuse includes physical, verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse.


2. Neglect. This category consists of physical and emotional neglect.


3. Household Challenges. A child may experience various challenges in the home. This category consists of:

📍Parent divorce, separation, death, or abandonment

📍Poverty or homelessness

📍Bearing witness to physical or emotional abuse

📍Substance use disorder or mental illness within the family or home

📍Serious accidents or illness of a loved one

📍The death of a pet or loved one


4.Community Incidents. Things that happen within the community that impact a child include natural disasters, terrorism, community violence, school violence, or social rejection.


These experiences are challenging for a fully developed adult mind to process. They’re even more challenging for a child to cope with. Experiencing ACEs can put you at an elevated risk of a substance use disorder, health issues, and mental health struggles, even through adulthood.


▪️Five major influences in childhood trauma:


1. How Serious Was the Event? Severity is subjective, but it matters. Were you seriously physically hurt? Was your life in danger? Did you lose a loved one? Depending on your developmental stage and the traumatic event’s impact on your daily life, the effects could vary.


2.How Close was the Trauma to You? Trauma can impact people who aren’t even close to us. Often, the closer you are, the more significant the impact the trauma has. Whether you were a victim, witness, or it was something that you learned about determines how severe an effect the trauma has on you.


3. How Did Your Caregivers React to the Trauma? Feeling understood by your parents or caregivers provides feelings of attunement and trust. Attunement can help you feel accepted, loved, and better prepared to cope with trauma.


4. Was There Previous Trauma? People experience many types of trauma throughout their lives. Suppose you already had a history of traumatic events occurring in your home or life. In that case, it could amplify the impact that the trauma has on you.


5. Was There Support or Backlash from Your Community? Our communities and social identities impact us in countless ways. Whether that is your race, ethnicity, culture, or socio-economic status, those around you respond differently to traumatic events. Having a supportive community can positively impact a child and reduce the long-term risks of childhood trauma.


Yours, Kathy Morris

The United State of America

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