What Inherited Trauma Is and How It Impacts Someone
Trauma is a word that more people are becoming aware of. Since the pandemic, mental health topics have been coming up more in conversations across the globe. We can safely say that social media has played a massive role in this.
The downside is that many people don’t understand what trauma is. Sometimes, certain people will make fun of others who say they are “triggered” by something. However, trauma triggers are genuine for many people.
One type of trauma that causes someone to feel triggered is inherited family trauma or generational trauma.
What Is Inherited Family Trauma?
First, let’s talk about the basics of trauma. Trauma happens when someone experiences a highly emotional and distressing situation—or multiple distressing events.
So how does this tie into inherited family trauma?
It is typically passed down unconsciously from a parent to their children. Growing up, it is likely that the parent experienced trauma at some point in their childhood. It’s not that a parent willingly passes their own traumatic experiences down – it’s something that ‘naturally’ happens. In other words, trauma can be passed down through family systems without explicitly attributing blame or responsibility to any individual.
Signs Of Inherited Trauma
You are probably curious about how inherited family trauma manifests from person to person. Not every single person will experience all of these signs.
Feeling disconnected from other people
Difficulty forming secure attachments
Anger issues
Memory issues
Unable to trust other people
Extreme irritability
Complex grief & unresolved mourning
Extreme fear
Feeling emotionally numb
Nightmares
Social isolation
Substance abuse
Causes of Inherited Trauma
Inherited trauma is not genetically passed down in the same way as physical traits or genetic conditions. Rather than being encoded in the DNA itself, the transmission of inherited trauma is believed to occur through epigenetic mechanisms and environmental factors. Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression that do not alter the underlying DNA sequence but can be influenced by various factors, including experiences and environmental conditions. Traumatic experiences can potentially affect the epigenetic regulation of genes, leading to alterations in how specific genes are expressed or regulated.
These epigenetic changes can occur in the cells of the individual who experienced the trauma and can also be present in their germ cells (eggs or sperm). As a result, these epigenetic changes can be passed down to subsequent generations, potentially influencing offspring's behavior and psychological well-being.
Unknowingly, parents may put their children through the same traumatic experiences they went through.
This is because as children go through many distressing events, it unconsciously becomes normalized. Children don’t always understand that what is happening to them is not an everyday experience. As they age, the signs of trauma increase without them ever understanding why.
It’s a vicious cycle because trauma is not often dealt with. It’s pushed to the back of the mind. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Not exactly.
Even when someone actively pushes something out of their mind, it can still impact them. The body and brain can store and hold on to trauma.
How To Stop the Cycle Of Inherited Trauma
Inherited trauma is challenging to deal with. But you can heal from it. It takes dedication and challenging conversations, but the cycle can be broken. Here are a few tips to make this happen.
Start The Conversation
We’re human and don’t want to discuss uncomfortable things. It can be challenging and unnerving to bring things out to the open. Parents, especially, want to protect their children from knowing about the harder aspects of life, especially when it comes to aspects of a parent’s upbringing.
Having open conversations about trauma is difficult. But, without doing so, the cycle is harder to break…and may take more therapy. The veil of silence and denial within the family system can do more harm than good.
Share Experiences Without Blame
It’s hard not to place blame and accusations when you are hurting. Instead of placing blame, share your experiences without pointing fingers.
It will help all parties understand the different perspectives of what occurred and the impacts of that experience.
Seek Support
Trauma is complex, especially when it is passed down from generation to generation. Going to your family for support, guidance, and connection to deal with trauma can help you all heal and stop the cycle. However, you may know that your immediate family isn’t a healthy support form, and seeking professional help is a healthier first step.
However, dealing with trauma on your own sometimes gets you nowhere because of how complicated it is. This is when working with a trauma-informed therapist can help to break the cycle and begin the healing process fully.
Don’t hesitate to reach out for support to break the cycle with anxiety and trauma informed therapy.