While this can be frustrating, it’s important to be patient and acknowledge that everyone processes things differently. Some family members may be reluctant or uncomfortable discussing generational trauma. They may validate your feelings and have suggestions for healthy coping techniques. Discuss your findings or thoughts with a close family member or others who share similar experiences. It can also help you feel more connected to your family. Learning what happened to previous generations in your family can help you understand or process your own experiences. Talk about it with a trusted friend or family member, or try journaling to organize your thoughts and feelings. You can’t move forward without identifying and acknowledging the effects of past trauma. Here are some strategies for addressing generational trauma within your family: It may feel awkward, uncomfortable or even frustrating at first, but over time, it may become easier. However, addressing it is the only way to move forward and heal. Generational trauma can be difficult to process, especially if your family has never discussed it or gotten help. Strategies for Addressing Intergenerational Trauma Without proper treatment, a parent may fail to adequately care for their children or pass down mental health and substance abuse struggles. Some people may adopt unhealthy habits, including consuming drugs or alcohol, to cope with trauma or stress, especially if they also have a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. Trauma can cause feelings of chronic stress, resulting in increased exhaustion, tense or constricted muscles and heart disease. Generational trauma can cause physical and mental health issues for the individual who initially experienced the trauma and their offspring. Epigenetics explores how gene expression can change due to environmental factors and certain behaviors. Generational trauma can also be passed through genes. Children who grow up around these beliefs and behaviors may adopt and pass them down to their own offspring. They may feel stuck in survival mode and have difficulty letting others in or accepting help. Trauma can change the way people view the world, causing them to lose trust in other people or systems and struggle with forming healthy relationships. The effects of generational trauma can manifest in many ways, resulting in learned behaviors, epigenetic changes and physical or mental health issues. The Impact of Generational Trauma on Individuals and Families This can impact emotional regulation and learning ability, which can affect future generations. Exposure to toxic stressors in utero can alter brain structure and functions, resulting in developmental delays. People exposed to violence in early childhood may pass long-lasting trauma symptoms to their children by becoming perpetrators or victims of domestic violence as adults. For example, if your parents grew up poor, they may not have had access to certain resources, including education or health care, to pass down. Poverty and lack of educational or professional opportunities can also cause generational trauma. Examples include Holocaust survivors and Indigenous communities. Being forced to leave your homeland due to the threat of violence, persecution or death can cause rippling feelings of loss and isolation. Examples of oppression include racism, sexism and homophobia. Historical oppression or violence against a group of people can pass chronic stress or fear to future generations. Examples of Generational TraumaĪny stressful or anxiety-provoking situation can cause lasting changes in thoughts, behaviors or beliefs, but generational trauma manifests when those situations cause cultural, economic or familial distress. According to research by the National Council for Behavioral Health, about 70% of people experience a traumatic event at least once in their lives. It typically results from a person or collective group experiencing direct trauma, witnessing a stressful or harmful situation or residing in an environment with an ever-present threat of violence. Generational trauma, or intergenerational trauma, refers to traumatic situations or stressors passed down from one generation to the next. Learn the generational trauma definition and healthy ways to promote hope and healing. However, with the right guidance, it’s possible. Breaking the cycle of generational trauma can be extremely difficult, especially if it’s been embedded in your family for several generations. This is referred to as generational trauma. However, adverse childhood experiences and traumatic events can also have a ripple effect within families, creating a cycle of learned behaviors and poor mental health outcomes. Genes and biological traits are often passed to younger generations.
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