Trauma includes the emotional, psychological, and physical responses resulting from exposure to a distressing event or series of events. Most people will experience trauma at some point. Typically, the brain processes a traumatic event in due time, and the impacts naturally resolve. Still, for millions of people, trauma can remain unresolved and have significant implications for daily life. Trauma is complex in that its symptoms can present immediately or years later.
At Hill Country, we know that unresolved trauma is frequently the root cause of substance use disorder (SUD) and numerous mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, and more. Our trauma therapy program provides compassionate and comprehensive treatment to help you process trauma in a safe, supportive environment. If you need help recovering from trauma, call 1.844.675.1628 to learn about your treatment options.
What Are the Different Types of Trauma?
What defines trauma is unique to every individual. Everyone responds differently to events, even when they share a common experience. What may feel traumatic to you may have little or no lasting impact on someone else. Still, treatment professionals identify four general types of trauma, which are:
- Acute trauma – This results from a single distressing event, such as an accident, crime, natural disaster, or serious injury.
- Chronic trauma – This results from repeated or prolonged disturbing events, including domestic violence, neglect, or abuse.
- Complex trauma – This results from exposure to multiple distressing events related to things like bullying, discrimination, exploitation, or war.
- Secondary trauma – This occurs as the result of indirect experiences, such as witnessing crimes, abuse, or natural disasters.
Trauma threatens a person’s sense of safety and security and overwhelms their ability to cope, which can have lasting impacts on their physical and mental well-being.
Why Is it Important to Address Childhood Trauma?
Childhood trauma encompasses a range of experiences, including physical and emotional abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, parental separation and divorce, parental incarceration, mental health issues, and substance abuse in the home.
When left untreated, childhood trauma can pose significant risks for physical and mental health, such as:
- Impairment of normal brain development
- Difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships
- Involvement with child welfare and juvenile justice systems
- Unhealthy behaviors like smoking, substance abuse, and unsafe sexual practices
- Reactive-attachment disorder
- Behavioral challenges
- Poor academic performance
- Emotional dysregulation
Childhood trauma is often multigenerational, meaning the trauma experienced in childhood can influence future parenting styles that perpetuate trauma. Multigenerational trauma is common in families who experience not only abuse and neglect but also racial discrimination, incarceration, sexual abuse or exploitation, substance use disorders, housing insecurity, and political unrest or war.1
The Long-Term Effects of Untreated Trauma Are Significant
Like trauma itself, the long-term effects of trauma can vary depending on factors like the length and severity of trauma, the presence or lack of healthy support systems, individual coping mechanisms, and access to mental health care.
That said, the following are common long-term effects of untreated trauma:
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance use disorder (SUD)
- Chronic health problems
- Weakened immunity
- Sleep disturbances
- Learning difficulties
- Cognitive distortions
- Lapses in memory and recall
- Relationship challenges
- Self-harm
While the short and long-term effects of trauma can be devastating, healing is possible with the proper support. Addressing childhood trauma is critical not only to individuals but to families and society as a whole. Breaking the cycle of multigenerational trauma means putting forth healthier individuals who can contribute to the greater good of our society.
Join Hill Country’s Trauma Therapy Program Today
At Hill Country, we know that unresolved childhood trauma frequently serves as the foundation for adult mental health issues, including substance use disorder. Often, individuals struggling with issues like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and SUD blame their current circumstances for their struggles. Through trauma therapy at Hill Country, clients learn to identify and work through the root causes of present-day challenges by healing childhood trauma. Confronting childhood trauma can be scary, but at Hill Country, you can do so with the care, support, and guidance of compassionate, experienced treatment professionals. Call 1.844.675.1628 or fill in the online form to enroll in trauma therapy at Hill County today.
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