#Signs of trauma in a child professional

In fact, the physical effects of trauma are so severe that researchers have found a link between childhood trauma in women and heart disease.īecause of its impact on your wellbeing, trauma from childhood can cause signs and symptoms that you may notice as part of your daily life. In addition to raising your risk of developing mental disorders as an adult, trauma may affect many aspects of your physical health. Unresolved trauma, including lingering negative memories from childhood trauma exposures, can have a serious impact on your personal wellbeing as an adult. Childhood trauma can also develop as the result of living in a war or conflict zone, needing to flee your home or seeking asylum in a foreign country. These may contribute to unresolved childhood trauma.īeing a refugee or victim of war. Many military families suffer additional forms of stress, often related to deployment, parental injury or the death of a parent during war. Losing a parent, sibling, other family member or close friend as a child or teenager can continue to have traumatic effects throughout your life.Ĭhildhood adversity due to being in a military family. The death of a parent, close friend or other loved one. Developing a severe or life-threatening disease as a child or adolescent, including a mental illness or chronic illness, could cause trauma that continues to affect you during adulthood.

Living through a serious car crash, home accident or other accident that causes injuries or mental distress can be a major traumatic event that can cause chronic stress and/or trauma. Data from the CDC suggests that at least one in seven children experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year.Ī serious accident. Emotional neglect and physical neglect can seriously affect your wellbeing well into adulthood. According to the CDC, about one in four girls and one in 13 boys in the US experience childhood sexual abuse.Ĭhildhood neglect. Being physically or sexually abused as a child can cause lasting trauma into your adult life. For example, witnessing a terrorist attack, such as a shooting, or living through a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or earthquake, can cause trauma that may continue to affect you as an adult.

Traumas that you experience as part of a larger group can have impacts later. Group traumas, like experiencing a natural disaster or terrorism. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 10 million people are abused by a partner annually. As a child, witnessing or experiencing domestic violence can have a serious negative impact on your wellbeing. These early life experiences can have a lasting impact on your wellbeing, even as a teen and adult.ĭomestic violence. For many children, trauma can develop at school through bullying, violence or physical abuse. There are many types of trauma, from interpersonal trauma - a form of trauma that occurs between one or more individuals - to group traumas that can occur to an entire population.Ĭommon causes of trauma in childhood include:īullying or violence at school. Trauma is our emotional response to a distressing, disturbing or overwhelming event.

#Signs of trauma in a child professional

We’ll also discuss the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults that you may notice if you suffered through one or several traumatic events as a child or teen.įinally, we’ll explain what you can do to get help, from self-care techniques to using mental health services to access professional care.

In fact, with the right approach, it’s almost always possible to heal from early life trauma and prevent it from having a lasting negative impact on your life.īelow, we’ll explain what trauma is, as well as the specific events and behaviors that often cause or contribute to childhood trauma. The good news is that childhood trauma doesn’t need to be something that affects your mental wellbeing forever. If you’ve experienced childhood trauma, there’s a real possibility that it may cause you to experience real, noticeable symptoms years or decades later. In data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA), more than two-thirds of children report going through at least one traumatic event by age 16.Įvents that occur early in your life can have a profound impact on your thoughts and emotions in the future. If you’re a victim of childhood trauma, it’s critical to understand that you’re not alone. However, many people undergo traumatic experiences during childhood, including trauma that can continue to affect you as you enter into adulthood. Childhood is supposed to be a time of learning, discovery and positive growth.