Why is it Important to Resolve Childhood Trauma?

Previously, we have talked about childhood trauma, how it affects adults, and why it is important to address in order to grow as people. We understand that childhood trauma inhibits us from living life to the fullest, but did you know that unresolved childhood trauma can also be one factor that leads to anxiety and depression? Childhood traumas like physical abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, bullying, an accident or major death are some common drivers for developing anxiety or depression. 

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A study by Negele et al. (2015) found that 75% adults that had chronic depression also had unresolved childhood trauma. This indicated to them that childhood trauma has a lot more importance and bigger role in mental health than it is given credit for. A study by Wagner (2016) found that 62.5% of individuals that had depression reported to have expressed two traumatic events in their life, whereas only 28.4% of individuals without depression reported having gone through a traumatic event.

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Experiencing trauma in our childhood impacts the development of our brains negatively because our brains are very vulnerable during this stage. This is why adults who have experienced childhood trauma also report higher rates of depression, suicidality, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. For some individuals it causes them to start relying on alcohol and/or drugs in order to cope with their trauma and might even result in alcoholism and/or substance abuse.

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As mentioned in the previous blog post, trauma affects the way we relate to ourselves and to others. It makes it harder for individuals to communicate their feelings, their emotions, and their situations with ease. It can even stunt emotional growth and result in poor self-discipline and increase feelings of guilt and shame.

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It’s hard to address our childhood trauma. There are so many faucets to understand that cause it to manifest in our lives in such troubling ways. Thankfully, therapy is one resource that is ready to help you tackle this issue. Here at Finding Tranquility Psychotherapy Services we have staff that are ready and eager to lend their expertise to tackle unresolved childhood trauma and move forward from the wounds of your past.