The experiences you live through as a child can affect you well into your adult life. The long-term effects of childhood trauma can affect your relationships, mental health, physical health, and much more. Starting a trauma therapy program can spark the process of healing from trauma and get you back to feeling your best.
Healing from trauma isn’t always easy, but it is possible. You can start trauma treatment with Promises today by calling 844.875.5609 and speaking to one of our mental health professionals, who can guide you throughout the treatment process and help you start the journey toward recovery.
Understanding Childhood Trauma
Childhood is one of the most important periods in human development. It’s when you first learn to interact with the world, how you expect the world to interact with you, and create your first memories, beliefs, and patterns.
When children experience trauma in this early period of development, it can shape the way they view the world for the rest of their lives.
Childhood trauma can happen in a number of different forms. Some of the most common types of childhood trauma include:
- Parental neglect
- Emotional abuse
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Food scarcity
- Parents with substance use disorders or serious mental illness
- Exposure to domestic violence
Any one of these experiences can leave a lasting impression on a child and lead to the many long-term effects of childhood trauma.
Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma
Childhood trauma affects three key areas of adult health:
- Your mental health
- Your physical health
- Your social health
The mental health effects of childhood trauma are often the first that people recognize as stemming from adverse events in childhood.
People who grew up in troubled homes or were exposed to violence or abuse as children can develop a heightened stress response, difficulty managing their emotions, and trouble with their ability to make confident decisions.
Furthermore, research has shown that experiencing trauma in your childhood can raise your risk of developing a substance use disorder, anxiety disorder, or other common mental health conditions.
Trauma can affect your physical health as well. The long-term effects of childhood trauma include a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and disruption in the body’s immune system. Scientists believe the increased risk of physical disease is directly tied to how children exposed to trauma respond to stress, which strains the entire body.
Finally, childhood trauma can have a dramatic effect on social or intimate relationships. People who live through traumatic experiences often experience great difficulty trusting others, developing healthy attachments, or managing emotions in a way that supports healthy relationships.
How to Start Healing From Trauma
As troubling as the long-term effects of childhood trauma can be, there is an abundance of evidence-based treatment methods to help people recover. Treating trauma can be accomplished through a number of different interventions, with some of the most common and effective including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Peer-to-peer support groups
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Inpatient rehabilitation
- Outpatient rehabilitation
- Medication management with a trained psychiatrist
Each of these interventions takes a unique approach to helping people overcome childhood trauma, but they all focus on helping resolve your lingering symptoms, teach healthier coping mechanisms, and repair the relationships that matter most.
Begin Your Healing Journey With Promises’ Trauma Therapy Program
Promises offers a number of comprehensive mental health treatment options to help people break free from childhood trauma, mental health conditions, or co-occurring substance use disorders.
By creating a comprehensive treatment center, we aim to cater to each one of our client’s unique needs and inspire change that can last throughout their lifetime. Get started with trauma treatment today by calling Promises at 844.875.5609 or using our online contact form.