Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma can appear in a number of ways, and each case is unique to the person who experienced it. However, they often fall into very similar categories. Here are some of the most common:

Abuse

Abuse in itself has a range of subcategories. The most common of these are physical, emotional, and sexual. These types often overlap with each other, and it’s not uncommon for a child who’s experiencing one of these to be experiencing another or all three. Abuse can come from parents and siblings, or even more distant family members, such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

Neglect

Neglect can be physical or emotional. Physical neglect refers to the failure to provide basic needs such as clothing, food, or healthcare. Emotional neglect includes withholding affection, ignoring a child, or a general disregard for a child’s mental health.

Dysfunctional Home Environments

Dysfunctional home environments are essentially home environments that don’t serve their intended purpose of keeping a child safe. There are many factors that contribute to a dysfunctional home environment. Struggles with alcohol or drug abuse, gambling addictions, divorce, and financial trouble are just a few of these factors. When someone in the family struggles with untreated PTSD or other mental health issues, it can also lead to a dysfunctional home setting. Additional signs of a dysfunctional home include:

• Regular arguments between parents
• Domestic abuse
• Parents with unaddressed mental health problems
• Separation from a parent, such as through incarceration

Dysfunctional Social Environments

Social environments include places such as schools, churches, and community spaces. And just like home environments, these spaces have the potential to be dysfunctional or unsafe. Dysfunction in social environments can be caused by:

• Violence in the community
• Bullying either online or in person
• Discrimination and racism
• Poverty
• War

Growing up in these dysfunctional environments can lead to challenges in adulthood. Among these challenges are a lack of boundaries or a tendency to take the blame for things. Although overcoming these challenges can be hard, there are resources available.

Death of a Parent or Loved One

For a child, losing a parent or loved one can come with feelings of confusion, uncertainty, and fear. Additionally, losing a parent or guardian can lead to other factors that contribute to childhood trauma, such as financial worries or neglect.

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters have the power to change everything you’ve ever known. In mere seconds, a natural disaster can destroy a home, wreck a family’s financial future, and more. Examples of natural disasters include:

• Earthquakes
• Hurricanes
• Floods

Serious Illness

Being diagnosed with a serious illness can lead to childhood trauma. For a child, dealing with an illness that causes chronic pain or is incurable comes with stress and uncertainty. As a child, you can also experience trauma if a close loved one is diagnosed with a serious illness.

Accidents

From the highway to home, accidents happen all around us, and those accidents can be traumatizing. Accidents with major impacts such as car crashes and house fires are commonly linked to childhood trauma.