What Does Childhood Trauma Cause?

As we progress through childhood, we form beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world around us. For example, we can determine that we are strong or weak, that people are trustworthy or untrustworthy, and whether we are safe or unsafe.

Everyone is different

Two people who experience the same trauma will have different effects. Consider two individuals who go off to war and witness violent casualties. One soldier may experience symptoms of PTSD, while another person may be mostly unaffected. The same is true for childhood trauma.

Protective vs. Risk Factors

While it is impossible to know exactly how childhood trauma will affect the person as a child and how it will later affect their adult life, protective and risk factors can make a difference. Protective factors can include having a strong, healthy support system, growing up in a safe environment, and having opportunities in school that allow the child to feel resilient. Risk factors can include being in an unsafe setting, low self-worth, not receiving help when asking for it, and witnessing or experiencing multiple traumatic events over an extended time period.

Effects of Trauma

Some children who experience trauma may isolate, avoiding social situations. They may feel a sense of doom, fearing that something awful will happen, or they may become reckless, having no concern for safety. They may attach to others very quickly and intensely, or they may avoid getting close to others. They may display intense emotions, such as crying often, or they may appear unemotional and aloof. Conversely, the child may show no changes in behaviors and seem unaffected. Again, how trauma affects the person can depend on many different variables, including the circumstances surrounding the trauma and what happens after the trauma.

As the child grows up, the trauma may affect the child’s relationships with others, as the person may struggle with getting close to others or become very close to others extremely quickly. The person may be highly cautious and reluctant to take risks or seem reckless with their behavior. We know that mental health treatment can effectively reduce the effects of trauma on a person, even if the treatment does not begin until the person is an adult.