5 Ways Childhood Trauma Carries Into Adulthood

Childhood is not an easy period for all of us. Some of us experience some form of childhood trauma, sometimes without even realizing it. Whether it’s abuse, neglect, bullying, or something else, trauma can severely impact us.

The thing about childhood trauma is that it doesn’t go away as we grow up. It’s by our side every step of the way. But it changes with us. Even as adults, our childhood trauma can affect who we become as well as our relationships with other people. It just does so in different ways.

1. Difficulties in Relationships

Our relationships with those around us will be heavily affected by the trauma we experience in childhood. It’s common for us to gravitate toward people who are emotionally unavailable or even abusive. This is because we’re looking for something familiar, a pattern that we recognize. And this is what we know.

Alternatively, we may avoid becoming close to people altogether. We’d rather isolate ourselves than open up to someone because we just don’t think it’s worth it. But that’s not a good way to live. The people around us nurture us. They help us grow and become the best version of ourselves. A life without that kind of support is a lonely one.

2. Trust Issues

If our childhood trauma was caused by someone we loved and trusted, like a caregiver, for example, then it’s possible we learned from a very young age to mistrust adults. This mistrust stays with us as we grow up, and eventually, we end up mistrusting everyone around us. Because what’s the point in trusting people when they’ll inevitably let us down? When the only thing they’ll do is hurt us?

But a life without trusting others is an empty one.  If we want to live a real, fulfilling life, we have to learn to trust again.

3. Low Self-Esteem

Childhood trauma can fundamentally change our perception of ourselves. We’re always accompanied by a sense of shame. We don’t believe we have any inner worth whatsoever. We may go as far as to believe we’re too broken to be involved in real relationships.

Low self-esteem can affect every aspect of our lives. It affects how we interact with the world around us and what choices we make for ourselves based on the beliefs of our own worth. If we don’t believe we’re worth much, we don’t go for all the opportunities we want. After all, what’s the point? We’re too damaged to thrive. Or, so we think.

4. Difficulty Managing Emotions

When we grow up experiencing childhood trauma, we struggle to express our emotions the way everyone else does. Maybe our emotions change fast, or we have problems controlling them. Maybe we just feel anxious all the time for no clear reason. It’s also possible we just don’t know how to express our feelings. How can we do that when we don’t know how?

5. Alcohol and Drug Problems

Childhood trauma can also give us bad coping mechanisms. It pushes us towards drugs and alcohol. They help us escape our feelings, escape the anxiety or depression that normally hangs from us like a cloud. And the more we use them, the more likely we are to develop a serious problem.

But just because we were victims of childhood trauma doesn’t mean we’re doomed to live a bad life. We can do something about the trauma we carry, even years down the line. What we need to do is see a counselor. Counseling can help us move past this. It can help us grow into the best versions of ourselves. For that, we have to make an appointment. The rest will follow.