Signs & Symptoms of Generational Trauma “The symptoms of generational trauma include hypervigilance, fears of death or no hope for the future, mistrust of outsiders, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low self-esteem, issues of addiction, domestic violence, and sexual abuse.”
Generational trauma begins when a group collectively experiences a horrific event, such as abuse, discrimination, natural disasters, racism, and war. Those events may lead to anxiety, depression, and PTSD among the people directly affected by their effects.
For example, a mother who is struggling with her daughter's sexual abuse, might also have been sexually abused by her father, who, may have also been sexually abused by his father. The impact of generational trauma is significant.
Common symptoms of intergenerational trauma include low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger, and self-destructive behaviors.
There is some evidence indicating that transgenerational trauma is a unique type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, the family members that experienced the event often display PTSD symptoms, which can affect how they handle stressors and relate as caregivers.
We often think of the negative byproduct of trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a personal experience. But research now suggests that PTSD may not be an individual experience after all. In fact, it may be inherited.
A growing body of research suggests that trauma (like from childhood abuse, family violence, or food insecurity, among many other things) can be passed from one generation to the next. Here's how: Trauma can leave a chemical mark on a person's genes, which can then be passed down to future generations.
Intergenerational trauma involves the transmission of trauma from one generation to the next. Recognising and addressing intergenerational trauma is central to healing for Indigenous peoples, both in Australia and elsewhere.
They found evidence that trauma can be passed between generations epigenetically, which means that trauma experienced by an ancestor might affect the way your genes are expressed. Bale's extensive work shows that parental stress can impact the following factors in children: risk for obesity.
Building resilience through open and loving communication between generations is one of the best ways to loosen generational trauma's grip. Healing happens when family members speak up and work through any hurt, pain, or abuse from the past.
Some examples of generational curses are: addictions (i.e. drug/alcohol, sex), mental illnesses (depression, schizophrenia, bipolar depression), physical illnesses (hypertension, heart disease, cancer), and even poverty to name a few.
Hypervigilance — the elevated state of constantly assessing potential threats around you — is often the result of a trauma. People who have been in combat, have survived abuse, or have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can exhibit hypervigilance. PTSD can be caused by a wide variety of incidents.
Adverse childhood experiences can be passed from generation to generation as if they were genetic. But breaking that generational trauma is complex. There aren't easy solutions. It involves an intricate web of understanding the issue, preventing and treating the root issues.
Our Elders have always said, “What we do today will affect the next seven generations.” Repetitive traumas that happened to our ancestors, as many as seven generations before, can be passed down to our children.
Intergenerational trauma may be transmitted through parenting behaviors, changes in gene expression, and/or other pathways that we have yet to understand fully. These may be biological, social, psychological, and/or a mixture of all three.
This can affect how they learn about and process emotions. Children who have experienced trauma often have difficulty understanding their own feelings. They can find it hard to experience strong emotions (even positive ones) because in the past they were signals that a threat was coming.
Transgenerational trauma has also been heavily recorded in refugees and their children, which can last through several generations. Such traumas can stem from violence, political persecution, familial instability, as well as the hardships of migration.
Children with generalized anxiety disorder are 3.5 times more likely to have a mother with generalized anxiety disorder. Children with social anxiety disorder are almost 3 times more likely to have a father with anxiety disorder.
Adults who have experienced childhood trauma often have heightened anxiety levels. They may worry excessively and have trouble managing their anxiety. Childhood trauma can lead to persistent feelings of sadness, lack of interest in activities, and difficulty experiencing pleasure.
Although not common, it is possible for children to show signs of PTSD because they are upset by their parent's symptoms. Trauma symptoms can also be passed from parent to child or between generations.
The typical onset age for PTSD is in young and middle adulthood. The NCS-R reported a median onset age of 23 (interquartile range: ages 15-39) among adults (Kessler et al., 2005).
The effects of exposure to trauma in childhood have repeatedly been linked to the development of maladaptive personality traits and personality disorders [1,2,3,4]. In contrast, much less is known about personality related problems that may arise in adulthood.