Behavioral and Health Effects of Trauma Plus How to Get Help
Traumatic events can happen to us at any age. Unfortunately, those effects can stay with us for a lifetime if that trauma is not properly worked through and healed. In today’s article, I’ll be taking a look at how trauma affects us at every development stage, plus, how the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can stick with us into adulthood when left untreated.
What is Considered Trauma?
First, let’s look at what is considered a traumatic event that could lead to adverse health and wellness effects. ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Events, include potentially traumatic events such as:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Neglect (physical and/or emotional)
- Household dysfunction (e.g. parent mental illness, incarcerated relative, domestic violence, substance abuse within the home, parental separation/divorce)
- Bullying
- Natural disasters
Risk factors for experiencing trauma include:
- Poverty (that leads to limited education opportunities, food insecurity, and/or unstable housing)
- Adults with low levels of education
- Children/youth who are socially isolated or with friends who engage in aggressive/delinquent behavior
- High rates of violence/crime in the community
- High rates of poverty in the community with limited educational/economic opportunity
- Unstable housing
- Frequent food insecurity
- Certain populations of people, including the LGBTQIA+ community, and those who identify as female, Black, Hispanic, or multiracial
It’s important to note that the more traumatic events an individual experiences, the higher the risk is of developing long-term conditions that affect that person through adulthood.
The Effects of Trauma in Childhood
There are many different stages of development in childhood, so I’ll further break these stages down.
Infants and Toddlers: While it can be difficult to see the immediate effect of trauma on very young children, the potential for developmental problems in the short term and the added risks for negative long-term outcomes is very real.
- Feelings of helplessness
- May recreate the event in imaginary play
- Nightmares about the event
- Undeveloped coping skills for comfort
- Clinginess
- Temper tantrums
- Toileting and sleep disturbances
- Phobias
- Social withdrawal
- Poor attention
- May act aggressively toward others
- Difficulty positively engaging with teachers in an early child care setting, or with other family members at home
School-Aged Children:
- Regress to earlier developmental stages
- Sleep difficulties, including nightmares
- Worries about additional violent experiences and concerns for safety
- Issues with parents relating to food, self-care, and schoolwork
- Feelings such as sadness or anger
- Feelings of guilt or shame over the traumatic event
- May demonstrate aggressive or reckless behavior
- Negative effects on academic, social, and emotional growth
The Effects of Trauma in Adolescence
During our teenage years, we experience many changes and are establishing our identity. However, teens are more prone to the consequences of experiencing and witnessing trauma, including being at an increased risk for experiencing sexual trauma.
- More likely to express feelings of fear, guilt, and isolation
- Agitation, mood swings, and irritability
- Denial or shock
- May avoid school to guard from threats
- May arm themselves at school or become involved in gangs in order to gain a sense of safety
- Feelings of helplessness and overwhelming fear
- Withdrawal or social isolation
- Regression into earlier phases of development
- Difficulty concentrating
- Struggle to achieve at school, connect with peers, and develop the skills they need for succeeding in life
- Fatigue, nightmares, or insomnia
- Muscle tension, aches, and pains
The Effects of Trauma in Adulthood
In addition to the short-term consequences of behavioral problems that children and teens experience, adults can experience long-term consequences of unresolved trauma.
- Inability to form positive, healthy relationships with others
- Shutting down emotionally
- Lack of interest in things you once found enjoyable
- Flashbacks
- Distressing intrusive thoughts
- Avoiding things that remind you of the trauma
- Continuing the cycle of violence or abuse in their own family
- Agitation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Increased risk of heart disease and cancer
- Increased risk of developing a compromised immune system
- Increased risk for obesity
- Increased risk of developing PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Increased risk of developing severe depression or other mental illness
- Increased risk of developing an addiction
How to Get Help
If there is one thing you take away from this article, don’t let it be the monumental list of scary effects of untreated trauma. I want you to know that there is hope! While trauma does affect the brain and it is a real brain injury, it’s important to understand that the brain is resilient and is constantly forming new pathways.
It is possible to get out of the cycle of constant “fight or flight” that trauma causes by working through your trauma and healing. There are several different types of therapy that may help you or your child with trauma, including trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive processing therapy. It also requires a community around you or your child that works toward creating a positive and safe space for healing to occur.
It is important to reach out to your doctor and find a therapist that specializes in trauma. I also hope that you’ll join The Child Trauma Project for Parents if you have a child with trauma. This group is full of resources and offers community for parents going through similar situations. And of course, you can find tons of FREE resources and information on the Child Trauma Sherpa blog.
Remember, healing is possible over time, but only with the right therapies and environment.
