The idea of a peaceful and idyllic childhood is a farce for those who grow up amidst trauma. When it’s not addressed and treated, it develops into childhood trauma in adults. Left untreated, it can make the adulthood years stressful, sad, and frightening.
Montare Behavioral Health proudly offers a first-class treatment program for adults who need help overcoming the ravaging effects carried over from childhood trauma. We offer treatment in one of our comfortable residential facilities or via sessions attended several times a week that allow the person to live in their own homes. With each option, a menu of types of available therapy helps the individual learn to address their past trauma in an impactful way. From there, they can reduce the symptoms they have and learn healthy ways to respond to any remaining triggers.
What is Childhood Trauma?
Trauma can result from several different kinds of events. Common ones that cause damage include:
- Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from a parent, caregiver, or other family members
- Witnessing abuse of others on a regular basis
- School or community shootings
- Community violence
- Loss of a loved one
- Long-term illness or drastic injury
- Natural disasters like hurricanes or flooding
- Military or wartime experiences
- Victim of racism, homophobia, and other prejudicial actions
- Having or living with someone with a substance use disorder
Although someone may feel like they are “over” their trauma because it happened years ago, they still need help to resolve the lingering effects of childhood trauma in adults.
How Does Childhood Trauma Affect Adulthood?
Too often, a person who endured trauma as a child believes that the act of growing up means the after-effects will no longer bother them. They feel that they should move past it on their own and don’t make a connection between negative emotions and behaviors it has caused them and their origin.
Children who were traumatized often become adults who have difficulty having meaningful bonds with others. They live in fear that someone will harm them again, and this impacts friendships, romantic relationships, and interactions with co-workers. Conversely, the individual may place themselves in harmful situations or engage in risky behavior.
Trauma victims often find it difficult to sleep. They may also experience nightmares that make them hesitant to try to sleep. Many victims of trauma engage in dissociation. They subconsciously bury their traumatic memories to feel protected.
Many people try to self-medicate by abusing alcohol or drugs. Without formal treatment for their trauma, this won’t help and may end up in them developing a substance use disorder. Finally, untreated trauma can drive many to attempt suicide. All of these behaviors and fears can be addressed by going to a quality treatment program with a structured program just for adults with childhood trauma.
The 11 Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Trauma in Adults
Recognizing the fact that childhood trauma can cause difficulties long into adulthood can be painful. It can also be difficult to target the symptoms and the need for help. The 11 most common signs of childhood trauma in adults include:
- Flashbacks
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating, and making decisions
- Mystery medical symptoms like diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and body aches
- Difficulty having healthy relationships and trusting others
- Isolating from others
- Often thinking of the traumatic events
- Trying to block all memories of the trauma
- Abuse of drugs or alcohol
- Self-destructive behavior
- Poor self-esteem
- Having one or more mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, depression, and anxiety.
A mental health professional can provide an assessment to determine if a person has a trauma-based mental health disorder. A recommendation for who to see for this can be made by the individual’s physician or insurance company.
How Can Adults Treat The Effects of Their Childhood Trauma?
While it can feel troubling for a person to discover that they suffer from the effects of childhood trauma as an adult, the good news is plenty of help can be obtained to help minimize or completely erase the lingering symptoms. This type of treatment must be performed by experts in treating trauma and other mental health disorders. Facilities should provide licensed therapists who provide a private and safe environment in which people can begin the healing process.
Therapists favor certain types of therapy for their ability to heal trauma in adults. These include the following:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Using directed eye movements, hand movements, and more actions led by a therapist, the person learns to disarm the power traumatic memories have over them.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: When adapted to target trauma, this type of therapy helps the person let go of unhealthy reactions and develop healthy coping skills.
Attending family therapy can also help the family heal together. The abuser does not have to be one of the attendees. With family therapy, each person learns the effects of what their loved ones went through and how to support them.
Contact Montare Behavioral Health to Treat Childhood Trauma Effectively
People who live with the results of childhood trauma in adults often don’t realize that their symptoms tie into those events. They may have symptoms of PTSD and try desperately to calm them but ultimately don’t have success. No matter how long ago childhood trauma occurred, it can always be treated. Montare Behavioral Health employs a staff of talented and driven therapists who understand how to dissect the power of trauma and reduce it. Both our residential and outpatient programs provide evidence-based therapies that address trauma and help the individual overcome it.
Contact us today and take the first step to free yourself from the shackles of poor mental health. Let us help you step out of the effects of childhood trauma and live the peaceful, productive adult life you deserve.
Published: 10/30/2024
