Childhood Trauma and Its Impact

Childhood trauma profoundly impacts our lives, shaping our personality traits and responses. Trauma can stem from various life experiences. A traumatic event can include a car accident, domestic violence, physical abuse, or witnessing violence. While trauma is often mistakenly believed to include only a single traumatic event, it goes far deeper.

Traumatic experiences can also include things like emotional neglect in childhood that is ongoing and pervasive, subtly influencing our development over time. This kind of chronic trauma can create deep-seated patterns in our brains and bodies, affecting how we perceive the world and interact with others. It shapes our sense of self, our ability to trust, and our capacity to form healthy relationships.

Overall, traumatic experiences leave lasting marks on our minds, body, and spirit, influencing how we respond to stress—it can form our personality types. Trauma also leaves a mark on our nervous systems, driving us to develop maladaptive coping mechanisms.

I want you to know that healing from trauma is absolutely possible, and it involves understanding how your past experiences are still playing a part in your life. And then finding ways to release the impact on your mind, body, and spirit.

Trauma and Its Effects on Your Personality

Trauma, especially early in childhood, disrupts normal development, affecting the brain and body. Ultimately, your autonomic nervous system becomes overactive, and this leads to a lifetime of chronic stress. In this heightened state of alert, you feel deep emotional pain and anxiety, which can lead to complex PTSD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD) manifests as flashbacks, emotional numbness, and difficulty maintaining relationships, among other things.

Childhood trauma specifically can lead to unconscious beliefs about yourself and the world. It creates a distorted lens through which you experience the world, but you don’t know it’s distorted… because it’s all you’ve ever known.

The beliefs you learn influence how you perceive and interact with others, and they shape every aspect of your life.

For instance, a child who experiences repeated emotional neglect may grow up believing they are unworthy of love. This belief can shape their personality, making them more prone to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

The impact of traumatic events can be profound, leading to various trauma responses that shape personality development. This is a type of post-traumatic stress disorder that is far too often overlooked and ignored by doctors. Yet, the consequences are far-reaching.

One of the most important things to understand is that when you experience PTSD (CPTSD aka complex PTSD), you live in a constant state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. It leads to physical, mental, and emotional challenges. The flight-fight-freeze-fawn responses each have unique characteristics and long-term effects on personality traits. Keep in mind that we all develop different response types based on our lived experiences. Understanding how YOU respond to the world is key to healing.

In this blog, I want to help you understand how trauma has impacted your brain and body and your nervous system response activation so that you can better understand how to heal.

What is a Trauma Response?

A trauma response is when your body and nervous system overreact to stimuli in your environment. When we experience trauma, it can lead to an overactive nervous system. The result is that we react more intensely to stimuli (stress, lights, sounds, etc.) than others.

This can be especially true of children who endured trauma because the dysfunction (of our physical biology) started during developmental times. It’s important to note that the nervous system’s reaction is meant to serve as a healthy adaptation to help us cope. Yet, when it’s overactive, it becomes maladaptive and causes long-term problems.

What is the Fight Response?

The fight response involves confronting threats directly. Do you get angry and volatile when you feel triggered? Do you have strong emotional outbursts? This is the fight response.

This can manifest as aggression or assertiveness, helping you feel in control (in the moment). You start to become a hostile personality type. Over time, these traits can become ingrained personality characteristics.

A person with a fight response may develop strong leadership skills but struggle with anger management and impulsiveness.

You may find yourself frequently in confrontational situations, using their assertiveness as a defense mechanism against perceived threats. You may even defend your aggressiveness because it’s been so embedded into your survival—the truth is, it keeps you trapped in the cycle of pain.

What is the Flight Response?

The flight response involves escaping threats. Do you remove yourself quickly from uncomfortable situations without trying to address the issue?

In this flight response, you may avoid situations or withdraw from others, leading to traits like anxiety and hyperactivity. This was my inherent trauma response; I still have to be mindful not to avoid situations that make me uncomfortable.

Children exhibiting the flight response might become overly cautious, constantly seeking ways to avoid perceived dangers. As adults, they may excel in planning and risk assessment but often struggle with chronic anxiety and social interactions.

This response can lead to a lifestyle characterized by avoidance and hypervigilance, impacting their ability to form close relationships. When you are constantly in and out of the flight response, it makes it very difficult to maintain and keep relationships.

What is the Freeze Response?

The freeze response involves becoming immobile when faced with danger. Do you smile when someone insults you, or do you simply stand still and take abuse?

The freeze response can result in detachment or compliance, with individuals appearing passive or emotionally numb. This was another one I deeply struggled with. Children who adopt the freeze response may seem disconnected or unresponsive during stressful situations.

This coping mechanism can evolve into a personality characterized by passivity and a reluctance to take initiative. While these individuals may be perceived as calm and collected, they might struggle with indecision and a lack of assertiveness, often feeling stuck and unable to move forward in life.

What is the Fawn Response?

The fawn response involves trying to please others to avoid conflict. Are you a people-pleaser? Do you risk your own well-being just to avoid conflict?

The fawn response leads to people-pleasing behaviors, where you prioritize others’ needs over their own. Children displaying the fawn response may become overly accommodating, seeking approval and validation from authority figures and peers. As adults, they might develop a personality that is excessively compliant and self-sacrificing.

These individuals are often highly empathetic and skilled at reading others’ emotions, making them excellent caregivers and mediators. However, their tendency to neglect their own needs can lead to burnout, resentment, and difficulties in asserting boundaries.

Long-term Effects of Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma doesn’t just disappear; it can affect us long into adulthood. Healing has to be an active process, and you must learn how to release the past experiences that drive your behavior. When we don’t heal unresolved trauma, it can lead to various psychological, emotional, and behavioral impacts that shape our overall well-being and personality. I spent years living with constant (and severe) anxiety and depression.

My mental health was always in various states of chaos; I thought mental illness was something I would have forever. It wasn’t until I finally began my own childhood trauma recovery journey that I was able to finally heal.

I spent decades trying to take medication and going to therapy to help, but I was always on the edge of burnout and barely hanging out. Healing my body from the impact of trauma is what finally saved my life. An extremely important step and underexamined piece of healing is addressing somatics.

Here are some of the long-term consequences of unresolved childhood trauma. I want you to know that these don’t have to be permanent.

Long-term Consequences of Unresolved Childhood Trauma

Psychological Impacts

Chronic anxiety and depression are the most common mental health conditions among individuals who have experienced childhood trauma and childhood abuse. These mental health issues are the result of biological changes in your body from trauma. They can make our daily lives feel like an uphill battle, affecting our ability to function and find joy in everyday activities.

It’s also important to know that trauma can lead to complex PTSD. We often think of PTSD as something that only war veterans get, but in reality, anyone who has experienced prolonged and repeated trauma can develop complex PTSD (C-PTSD); this includes experiencing childhood trauma.

Unlike traditional PTSD, which often results from a single traumatic event, C-PTSD stems from ongoing trauma such as chronic abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence, especially during formative years.

C-PTSD includes many of the same symptoms as PTSD, such as flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety. However, it also involves additional symptoms that can deeply impact a person’s life and relationships. These may include difficulties with emotional regulation, feelings of deep-seated guilt or shame, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness or worthlessness.

The psychological toll of trauma can also manifest as self-destructive behaviors and a pervasive sense of hopelessness.

Emotional Impacts

Trauma can make it challenging to manage emotions, leading to mood swings, emotional outbursts, and difficulties in emotional regulation. Individuals may struggle with low self-esteem and self-worth, feeling unworthy of love and success.

Emotional regulation becomes difficult, and individuals may have trouble forming healthy relationships. These emotional impacts can also result in difficulty trusting others and a tendency to isolate oneself to avoid emotional pain.

Behavioral Impacts

Trauma affects how we form and maintain relationships. Trust issues and conflicts are common, as are unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse. These behaviors often stem from attempts to numb pain or escape overwhelming emotions. The long-term behavioral impacts of trauma can include difficulties in maintaining employment, engaging in risky behaviors, and a tendency towards self-sabotage.

Healing from childhood trauma involves understanding and addressing these deep-seated responses. Trauma therapy, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), can be beneficial. Therapy provides a safe space to explore past experiences and develop healthier coping mechanisms. Understanding attachment styles also helps rewire the brain’s response to trauma.

Healing and Coping Mechanisms

Healing from childhood trauma is a journey. Various coping mechanisms and strategies can help individuals recover and build fulfilling lives.

Therapy

Therapy, particularly trauma-focused therapy, can help you process your experiences and develop healthier responses. But, I think it’s so important to point out that while dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy are the most popular types of therapy, they have limitations when it comes to trauma. It’s critical to find trauma-informed therapy that understands the changes you have experienced in your brain and body so you can experience positive change.

I spent 15 years in cognitive behavioral therapy, and while I was able to talk about my trauma and I had deep insight into my behavior, I couldn’t actually shift the behavior.

This is because CBT is geared towards the mind, and trauma needs an approach that considers the body. EMDR was life-saving when I finally discovered it.

EMDR therapy focuses on helping you integrate painful memories and releasing them from your physical body. Using EMDR allows you to learn different ways to cope and can truly help with your emotional response to your painful pain.

Support Groups

Joining support groups provides a sense of community and understanding. This can be difficult for trauma survivors because we struggle with relationships. Yet, it can be incredibly powerful because our brains innately crave connection. If you can, find an online group therapy session to see if you feel safe enough to participate.

Sharing your experiences with others who have faced similar challenges can be incredibly validating and empowering. Support groups offer a space for individuals to connect with others who understand their struggles and can offer advice and encouragement.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Practices like mindfulness and meditation help manage stress and stay grounded. These practices teach individuals to focus on the present moment, reducing the impact of traumatic memories and improving emotional regulation. Mindfulness and meditation can also help individuals develop a greater sense of self-awareness and emotional resilience.

Mindfulness involves paying deliberate attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. By doing so, you cultivate an awareness of your inner experiences and calm your inner critic, which helps to create a sense of distance from distressing thoughts and emotions. This can be particularly beneficial for those healing from trauma, as it allows you to observe your reactions without becoming overwhelmed by them.

As you learn to tune into your body more, you’ll start to connect with your intuition and be able to listen to those gut feelings, which are actually key to helping you live authentically.

Building Healthy Relationships

When we experience trauma, we often build relationships that are toxic and can keep us stuck. It’s important to begin exploring how to form trusting and supportive relationships. One of the most difficult things (in my opinion) is when we have spent our life in toxic romantic relationships, this is the core relationship in our life and it can deeply influence a low self-esteem and security.

Breaking free from the cycle of toxic relationships involves recognizing the patterns and understanding the root causes of why we might be drawn to such dynamics.

Building new, healthy relationships begins with building a healthy relationship with yourself. Spend time getting to know your own needs, desires, and boundaries. Practice self-care and self-love, reinforcing your worth and value independent of others.

Self-Care

Prioritizing yourself can feel challenging, especially if you’ve been conditioned to believe that others’ needs should always come first. However, one transformative realization for me was understanding that I couldn’t truly support anyone else if I was constantly drained and depleted. Shifting this mindset is crucial for genuine healing and well-being.

Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s essential. Engaging in activities that nourish your body, mind, and soul is fundamental to your overall health. Prioritizing self-care means embracing exercise, healthy eating, and hobbies that bring you joy and relaxation. These activities are not indulgent but necessary for maintaining a balanced and healthy life.

Taking care of your physical health is as important as nurturing your mental and emotional well-being, especially when healing from trauma.

Regular exercise helps to release endorphins, which can elevate your mood and reduce stress. A balanced diet fuels your body with the nutrients it needs to function optimally, while engaging in hobbies and interests provides a creative and emotional outlet.

Self-care helps individuals manage stress and improve their quality of life. Engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment can help counteract the negative effects of trauma and promote a sense of balance and well-being.

Setting Boundaries

Learning to set healthy boundaries is crucial for protecting your emotional and mental health, especially when healing from trauma. Boundaries act as a protective shield, helping you maintain your sense of self and preventing burnout. Establishing and enforcing these boundaries ensures that your needs are met and that you don’t overextend yourself.

Healthy boundaries define what is acceptable and unacceptable in your interactions with others. They help you communicate your limits clearly and assertively, creating a space where you feel safe and respected. By setting boundaries, you can avoid situations that may trigger stress or discomfort, allowing you to focus on your healing journey.

Childhood trauma profoundly impacts personality types and traits, but it’s not permanent because as you heal trauma, you evolve. By understanding trauma responses and their long-term effects, we can better learn how to release the grip of trauma. Healing is possible with the right strategies and support. Recognizing the signs of trauma and seeking help are crucial steps toward recovery and personal growth.