How Childhood Trauma Affects Adult Lives

How Childhood Trauma Shapes Habits in Adulthood & How to Break Free

You may think that the terrible things you went through in your childhood will leave as you get older. You could have been through abuse, got hurt in a relationship, survived a violent event, and other traumatic events. Stuff like this does not go away overnight or even for years, depending on the seriousness of the trauma. Without confronting your childhood trauma, the traumatizing memories will continue to take over your life.As a child, your brain is developing. If you go through a horrible tragedy, this can change the way you think and behave. You no longer feel safe anymore as you lost your innocent outlook on the world at a young age. While you may not feel safe now, it does not mean you will never feel secure the older you get. Seeking professional treatment will show you a variety of ways that you can heal.Here is how childhood trauma shapes adults and how you can break free.

Childhood Memory Loss

Blocking is a common defense mechanism to avoid the painful feelings of traumatic memories. You could remember memories vividly from the past without any context and feel like your childhood was stolen. This can make it hard to know who you really are.Therapy is a safe place where you can process your emotions to decrease how these memories affect your life. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you change these negative memories into positive ones.

Pattern of Unhealthy Relationships

If you grew up with emotionally unavailable people or those who are abusive, this might be the only type of people you know. You may think people like these are who you deserve instead of being with a good person.Take a good look at the unhealthy pattern you have been following when it comes to choosing people. Think about all of the qualities you would like to find in people.  You may think these qualities are impossible to find, but it just involves keeping an open mind. It also would not hurt to incorporate self-care activities in your routine like diet, exercise, and sleep to take better care of yourself.

Addiction and Mental Health Disorders

People who have experienced childhood trauma tend to go through depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders, and other mental health disorders as adults. Not seeking treatment in childhood can lead to poor stress management and not being good with conflict resolution.In therapy, you will receive a full evaluation of not just your trauma but other disorders you have. This way, you can get personalized treatment to heal yourself from everything that is bothering you. If you do not do anything about your childhood depression, you could be using drugs as a way to cope with your mental health conditions. All that will bring you is the increased risk of developing drug addiction.

Prone to Sickness

When traumatic memories stay inside you, chronic stress harms your physical health. With so much cortisone in the body, this can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and the risk of certain types of cancer. It can be a real hassle to be on edge every day.What you are feeling is valid. It is important to address your trauma to avoid experiencing illness throughout your adult life. By going speaking to a therapist, you are refusing to allow your traumatic memories to control you. There will always be someone ready to listen if you are ready to take control back.If you are still struggling with childhood trauma, here at JoyFeel Therapy, we are ready to listen and support you. Contact us today!