Many people experience traumas during their childhood, and, during adulthood, the consequences of these traumas come to light. However, we are often unaware of the tools that can be used to better manage the emotions that have arisen over time and that prevent us from living a full life.
Childhood is a decisive phase in the mental, emotional and social development of each person. The truth is that traumatic events that occur during this stage have long-term repercussions on general well-being and mental health.
Do you know how the consequences of childhood trauma affect a person during adulthood?
Not everyone will experience the consequences in the same way. The effects vary depending on the trauma suffered, the age at which it happened, the support we received and our level of resilience.
How does childhood trauma impact a person's adulthood?
There is much information and evidence linking mental disorders in adulthood to childhood trauma. Some studies report that traumatic events lead to later psychotic experiences and disorders. People who have suffered traumatic circumstances are more likely to present disorders such as anxiety, mood, anger, poor impulse control and tendency to substance abuse.
It is a fact that, during childhood, behavioral patterns, the way of social relationships and the way of seeing the world are learned. This implies that traumas can lead to the internalization of dysfunctional behaviors or beliefs, such as negative self-perception or the way we see the world around us.
Several experts have reported that trauma disrupts the brain's emotional regulation system, causing problems in managing stress, challenges and more intense emotions during adulthood. Similarly, there is an impact on emotional bonds, both those already established and those that can be forged. Low self-esteem or guilt may also arise. Traumas break the body's ability to respond to stress, so that in adulthood we are more sensitive to it, increasing self-destructive behaviors to cope with emotional pain.
What tools can be used to work on childhood traumas that have repercussions in adulthood?
First of all, this is an issue that requires support and time. It should also be considered that not all tools may work for everyone, given the differences that exist between each individual. Here are some alternatives that may be helpful.
- Psychological therapy
It is essential to seek professional support from mental health specialists, who will be able to suggest the tools that suit our particular case and our own needs. Receiving therapy is indispensable for dealing with childhood adversities. There are techniques such as memory processing therapy, trauma-oriented cognitive-behavioral therapy and desensitization therapy (EMDR), which are very positive for processing and releasing emotions related to these events.
- Relaxation techniques
It is very useful to practice relaxation techniques. Muscle relaxation, deep breathing, guided visualization can be learned. All of these techniques benefit us, as they help to reduce emotional stress, anguish, worries, fear, obsession and anxiety related to traumas. In this way we can normalize our emotional, mental and physiological processes.
We can always choose the technique that we like the most or that we believe will benefit us the most, always remembering that this will not be the only solution, but that we must combine it with others.
- Writing
Through writing we can investigate and process our own experiences, emotions and thoughts. This implies that we can consciously and deliberately write about areas of our personal life, traumas suffered, severe emotions, successes and goals. Writing will facilitate the exploration and expression of strong or dormant or repressed emotions. It also enables us to see traumas from a different perspective, allowing us to confront the emotions associated with them. In addition, we can identify patterns and understand emotional reactions more effectively.
By writing down what we think or what worries us, what we feel and what distresses us, we can reduce stress and experience relief and mental clarity.
- Art therapy
Art therapy is a modality that uses artistic creativity as a mechanism to express ourselves emotionally. Through any artistic manifestation, be it painting, music, drawing, theater or sculpture, we can delve into our thoughts, experiences and emotional world in a very liberating way.
This does not mean that the objective is "the work of art" itself, but the process during which we express ourselves and give form and personal meaning to what we create. It is not necessary to have previous experience, but to give ourselves to this practice, according to preference. This will even be very relaxing and entertaining, helping us also with negative emotions.
- Physical exercise
Physical exercise is very helpful in releasing tension and improving mood. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology claimed that it is very beneficial, especially for those who have experienced trauma at some point in their lives and have developed post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Loving ourselves, even with our traumatic experience
It is necessary that, despite any trauma suffered, we learn to treat ourselves and others with kindness, practice self-understanding to heal trauma, and learn to build a positive self-image, cultivate self-acceptance, self-compassion, and self-care. This does not mean minimizing our symptoms or ignoring our needs, but treating ourselves with respect, love and the care that we would give to anyone else suffering from a similar experience.
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