As we get older, we notice changes in ourselves. Maybe in your teens and twenties, you could stay up past midnight making memories with friends. Now, curling up in bed by 10 o’clock with a good book brings that same happy feeling. Some changes feel natural, but others can be confusing and unexpected. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic illness, or no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to sleep. Perhaps you feel intense anger or sadness over something that “shouldn’t” bother you, and you don’t understand why it affects you so much.
What many people don’t realize is that experiences from childhood, especially difficult or traumatic ones, can continue to impact us as adults. Trauma can affect both the body and mind long after the event itself. When trauma happens early in life, it’s called developmental trauma because it occurs during the critical years when a child’s brain, nervous system, and sense of self are still developing.
What Causes Developmental Trauma?
Developmental trauma happens when a child experiences one or more traumatic events, or loses something critical to their development and well-being. This can even include trauma experienced as a baby or in the womb.
Some common causes include:
Abuse – emotional, physical, or sexual
Neglect – physical and/or emotional needs not being met
Loss of a loved one – losing a parent, being placed in foster care, parents divorcing, or a caregiver being incarcerated
Witnessing violence – in the home, community, or towards a loved one
Witnessing a loved-one’s struggles – growing up with a caregiver who struggled with mental illness, addiction, or serious health issues
Health issues – experiencing severe health issues or undergoing traumatic medical interventions
Bullying
Living in an unsafe environment – war, community violence, or natural disasters
Since children’s brains are still developing, trauma can have a lasting impact on emotions, relationships, and even physical health. It can lead to challenges with forming secure attachments, difficulty regulating emotions, struggles in school, low self-confidence, and feeling more fearful, angry, or disconnected than their peers. It’s also important to remember that every child is unique, and experiencing the same type of traumas can impact children differently. There are many factors in a child’s life that can influence how trauma affects them.
Some of these include:
Age/stage of development
Ethnicity and culture
Previous traumas, including generational trauma
Access to food and shelter
Access to community resources, school, and healthcare
How Developmental Trauma Impacts us as Adults
Sadly, the effects of developmental trauma don’t always disappear when childhood ends. Many people don’t even realize that what they went through was traumatic, especially if it was their "normal."
Unresolved childhood trauma can show up in different ways, such as:
Difficulty trusting others
Struggling to regulate strong emotions or feeling overwhelmed easily
Low self-esteem
Fear of abandonment
Trouble making friends or forming healthy relationships
Struggling with saying “no” and recognizing your own needs
Physical symptoms like headaches, digestive issues, and a heightened stress response, or developing new health issues
Perfectionism or people-pleasing
Healing from Developmental Trauma
Though it may feel impossible, there are ways to heal from childhood wounds and build a greater sense of safety. Learning self-care, practicing self-compassion, and surrounding yourself with people who care about you are some ways to achieve this. Many people find that working with a trauma-informed therapist is a valuable part of this process.
Here are some of the ways trauma-informed therapy can help:
Help you recognize and acknowledge childhood traumas
Support you in grieving past losses
Teach skills to regulate and manage thoughts and emotions
Guide you in setting boundaries and building healthy relationships
Help you reconnect with a sense of self
At Bold Lotus Trauma Therapy, we understand the deep and lasting impacts of developmental trauma. If you recognize yourself in these experiences, know that you’re not alone. Our trauma-informed therapists are here to help you.