Childhood trauma in adults full#

Adults with histories of trauma in childhood have been shown to have more chronic physical conditions and problems. Children with complex trauma histories may develop chronic or recurrent physical complaints, such as headaches or stomachaches.

Childhood trauma in adults full#

An absence of mental stimulation in neglectful environments may limit the brain from developing to its full potential. Stress in an environment can impair the development of the brain and nervous system. These responses, while adaptive when faced with a significant threat, are out of proportion in the context of normal stress and are often perceived by others as “overreacting” or as unresponsive or detached. For example, an individual may experience significant physiological reactivity such as rapid breathing or heart pounding, or may 'shut down' entirely when presented with stressful situations. Later on, when the child or adult is exposed to even ordinary levels of stress, these systems may automatically respond as if the individual is under extreme stress. When a child grows up afraid or under constant or extreme stress, the immune system and body’s stress response systems may not develop normally. Normal biological function is partly determined by environment. Physical Health: Body and Brainįrom infancy through adolescence, the body’s biology develops. A child with a complex trauma history may have problems in romantic relationships, in friendships, and with authority figures, such as teachers or police officers. Our ability to develop healthy, supportive relationships with friends and significant others depends on our having first developed those kinds of relationships in our families. They have trouble controlling and expressing emotions, and may react violently or inappropriately to situations. Children who do not have healthy attachments have been shown to be more vulnerable to stress. The majority of abused or neglected children have difficulty developing a strong healthy attachment to a caregiver. When primary caregivers exploit and abuse a child, the child learns that he or she is bad and the world is a terrible place. When those relationships are unstable or unpredictable, children learn that they cannot rely on others to help them. Through relationships with important attachment figures, children learn to trust others, regulate their emotions, and interact with the world they develop a sense of the world as safe or unsafe, and come to understand their own value as individuals. The importance of a child’s close relationship with a caregiver cannot be overestimated. As a child grows up and encounters situations and relationships that are safe, these adaptations are no longer helpful, and may in fact be counterproductive and interfere with the capacity to live, love, and be loved.Ĭomplex trauma can affect children in a multitude of ways.

These kinds of learned adaptations make sense when physical and/or emotional threats are ever-present. They may withhold their own emotions from others, never letting them see when they are afraid, sad, or angry. For instance, they may be overly sensitive to the moods of others, always watching to figure out what the adults around them are feeling and how they will behave.

Children whose families and homes do not provide consistent safety, comfort, and protection may develop ways of coping that allow them to survive and function day to day.