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Important Links to Childhood Trauma You Need to Know About

  • Writer: Emery Pierce
    Emery Pierce
  • Feb 28, 2020
  • 2 min read

Childhood trauma is a well known, widespread concern in many societies. What is less known is the biological effects on children; and even less known is how childhood trauma is linked to things like addiction, homelessness, mental illness and learning disabilities.

"Childhood emotional abuse and neglect are the least studied types of childhood maltreatment. Both, however, are clearly linked to adult psychopathology."*


Did you know that childhood trauma is considered a major health problem in the US? Studies show that children who experience a traumatizing event at a young age are more prone to developing cognitive deficits and psychological illnesses.

90% of our brain is developed by the time we are 5 years old. Between the ages of 0-5, our brain is forming crucial connections, determining how we think, learn and grow. We are extremely sensitive to information . Children who are exposed to trauma during their developing years are at a much higher risk of developing these long term effects and illnesses. What are some of these effects? "Childhood traumas, particularly those that are interpersonal, intentional, and chronic are associated with greater rates of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), PTSS (post traumatic stress symptoms), depression and anxiety, antisocial behaviors and greater risk for alcohol and substance use disorders."*


How Childhood Trauma is linked to:


1. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

"Weber et al. found that stress load in childhood in particular was related to both the number and severity of depressive and PTSD symptoms in patients with these disorders."* Children don't have many responsibilities, so these dreadful events are typically the source of this stress load for children. Just like any adult who has to go through a horrible experience, children who are exposed to these types of incidents suffer as well, but have their entire lives ahead of them still.


2. Substance Use Disorders

"Exposure to traumatic experiences, especially those occurring in childhood, has been linked to substance use disorders (SUDs), including abuse and dependence."* Up to 59% of teens, those who develop PTSD especially, develop substance use habits. In surveys of adolescents receiving treatment for SUDs, more than 70% of patients had a history of trauma. This is an undeniable correlation.


3. Homelessness

A study was done at the University of California specifically looking at childhood abuse as a precursor to homelessness. In their sample of 120 women, the number of them who had experienced childhood abuse was significantly higher than those who had not. They also found that women who had suffered abuse strongly correlated to homelessness during childhood and is an influential factor in homeless women with severe mental illness.

All these statistics are unsettling. Trauma and abuse situations are tragic and terrible and people tend to steer away form topics such as these in everyday conversation, usually to avoid being negative or "a downer." But these are the topics that we MUST discuss and bring more awareness to. They are constantly happening all around us.

We can't stop these things from happening, but we can step up to lessen the stigma and work together to help these children simply through awareness and open conversation.


We hope that reading these different statistics helps you recognize these correlations and to inspire our readers to take action. Your communities need your help and your voice.

 
 
 

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