Childhood trauma significantly increases the risk for numerous mental illnesses, most notably Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety disorders, but also including psychosis, bipolar disorder, personality disorders (like Borderline Personality Disorder), ADHD, eating disorders, and substance use disorders, often presenting as complex co-occurring conditions in adulthood. Specific trauma-related conditions in children include Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD).
Increased risk for suicide attempts and comorbidities, including increased anxiety disorders, PTSD, and A/SUDs, are reported in individuals with depression who experience childhood maltreatment.
Signs of childhood trauma
Eight common categories of childhood trauma, often called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) by the CDC and others, include physical/sexual/emotional abuse, neglect, domestic violence, household substance abuse, mental illness in the home, parental separation/divorce, or having a household member imprisoned, all of which significantly impact a child's development and long-term health. These traumatic events teach children that their world is unsafe, affecting their brains, bodies, and ability to form healthy relationships later in life, leading to issues like chronic stress, attachment problems, dissociation, and hypervigilance.
In univariate analyses, all 5 forms of childhood trauma in this study (ie, witnessing violence, physical neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse) demonstrated statistically significant relationships with the number of different aggressive behaviors reported in adulthood.
Signs of Unresolved Childhood Trauma in Adults
Stress, anxiety, mood, or personality disorders. Behavioral issues or emotional immaturity. Inability to deal with confrontation or conflict.
The 10 ACEs of childhood trauma are:
Psychological symptoms
The constant state of alertness and fear can create a pervasive sense of unease. Emotional Regulation Issues: Trauma can make it challenging for adults to manage their emotions. They might experience intense mood swings or find themselves overwhelmed by seemingly minor issues.
PTSD is one of the most well-known trauma disorders. It's estimated to affect around 8 million U.S. adults in a given year. Individuals develop PTSD following a traumatic event. While it's common for initial symptoms to begin in the days following a traumatic event, symptoms can even begin to surface months later.
Child trauma occurs when young individuals (0-18 years) experience or witness events that threaten their or others' safety, such as accidents, natural disasters, violence, or significant loss.
Symptoms of childhood trauma that can be mistaken for ADHD include: Inattention. Inability to focus. Impulsivity due to acute stress.
Symptoms of unprocessed trauma frequently emerge as: Physical symptoms: heart palpitations, sweating, or shaking. Emotional symptoms: panic, feeling trapped or terrified. Psychological symptoms: avoidance of situations that trigger the trauma.
The belief is emotions and traumatic experiences can become trapped in the body, and somatic therapy helps release this pent-up tension and emotions. Somatic therapy uses body awareness, breathwork and movement exercises to be more aware of bodily sensations and release stored emotions.
People with borderline and antisocial personality disorders have issues with intimacy and trust, both of which may be related to childhood abuse and trauma.
For example, in CPTSD, there is a persistent negative sense of self, while in BPD there is an unstable sense of self that can be internalizing or positive and may change back and forth between the two.
Some mental health problems can develop directly because of trauma. These include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD). Just because you've experienced trauma, it doesn't mean you will always develop these problems. The symptoms of trauma can be very intense.
While there isn't one official list of exactly 17 symptoms, C-PTSD symptoms often include core PTSD issues (flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance, nightmares) plus difficulties with emotional regulation, self-perception (shame, worthlessness), relationships (trust issues, isolation), and severe dissociative or somatic symptoms (feeling detached, chronic pain) due to prolonged trauma, often presented as distinct points by various mental health sources.
Complex trauma can lead to a more severe form, known as Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) which includes additional symptoms like emotional dysregulation and difficulty maintaining healthy relationships. Trauma frequently leads to increased anxiety and depression, particularly in cases of chronic and complex trauma.
Signs of unhealed childhood trauma may include anxiety, depression, difficulty forming relationships, emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, intrusive memories, trust issues, self-destructive behavior, chronic stress, substance abuse, dissociation, sleep disturbances, somatic symptoms, difficulty with boundaries, ...
What are 4 main things childhood trauma deeply affects? Experiencing a traumatic event as a child negatively impacts mental health, cognitive function, the ability to form satisfying relationships, and an individual's sense of self-worth.
5 Childhood Trauma Personalities
The most common types of childhood trauma include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence, living with family members with substance abuse or mental health issues, experiencing natural disasters, and loss of a parent through death or divorce.
What is the ACE Test? The ACE Test, adverse childhood experiences test or childhood trauma test is a 10-question test that covers all levels of childhood adversities that range from neglect, abuse, family mental health and structure. It also covers abuse within the family and incarceration.
People with a history of ACEs are at greater risk of experiencing a range of mental health problems, such as depression, bipolar disorder, suicide, and substance misuse (Fuller-Thomson et al., 2016; Leza et al., 2021; Merrick et al., 2017).