Guest blog by Aaron Johnson, LCPC
Emotional trauma in a simple form can be explained as a deep emotional wound that hasn’t fully healed. These deep emotional wounds can be from events that occur throughout your life, from as early as infancy all the way to events that you don’t even directly experience. Events can be impactful one-time occurrences like a natural disasters or accidents or, more commonly, things that happen chronically such as child abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse, community violence, and racism. But what about trauma that gets handed down – generational trauma?
When the impact of a deep emotional wound transfers from generation to generation, it is called generational trauma, sometimes referred to as intergenerational trauma. The symptoms of generational trauma can be complicated to recognize and understand. “Those affected by intergenerational trauma might experience symptoms similar to that of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including hypervigilance, anxiety, and mood dysregulation.”
Cultural and Historical Trauma
An important aspect of generational trauma is epigenetics, which can be described as the ways previous generations’ experiences affect the genetics of their children and children’s children. Epigenetic factors can include not only trauma, but also the effects of diet, stress levels, and exercise in one generation, and how it impacts subsequent generations’ health, risk of disease, and general well-being.
When considering the generational trauma cycle, it is also important to acknowledge historical and systemic trauma. Historical traumas are events that traumatize a large group. When this happens, even family members who did not directly experience the trauma can feel its effects through epigenetics and culture.
For a generational trauma example, consider slavery in the US. Slavery had a significant impact on the family structure because the mother was viewed as the most important family member, while the father would often be left out of the birth record. A culture of matriarchy-led families resulted. Fast forward to the 1960s, another example is the welfare system, which often had the rule of “no adult men” in the home. Families were forced to choose between financial support for housing and having a unified family. As a result, many experienced deep emotional wounds as family dismantling, drugs, and crime took a toll on these families’ mental health – and the mental health of the generations since then.
Traumas have been perpetuated systemically and experienced by large groups, such as African Americans, continue to experience the trauma intergenerationally. To take another step towards today’s experiences, reflect on the medical care given to African Americans. According to the CDC, African Americans have the highest infant mortality rate of any racial category in the US. Also, African Americans have a significantly higher chance of not getting prenatal care until the third trimester, if at all. African Americans have experienced significant historical traumas within the medical system, which has led to mistrust. Anxiety due to negative experiences for generations further perpetuates mistrust of the medical field, which also includes mistrust of mental health professionals. This, in turn, prevents people from feeling comfortable and safe seeking help.
Generational Trauma in Families
There’s a common saying that “hurt people, hurt people” and this is a great example of how generational trauma shows up in our lives. So, what does it look like when generational trauma shows up in our families? As mentioned earlier, a parent’s physical and mental health can have a significant impact on their children’s health and on generations to come. Many of us may know an older family member who experienced some very difficult things as a child that they never healed from. As a result, they may have developed anxiety or depression.
Whether the specifics of their experience are known or not, there’s a level of compassion and empathy for them from the family. Sometimes, that person who has not healed will become a fearful person and that fear can turn into control. Within certain families and cultures, this
family member may be extremely religious and speak fear over everyone, but this comes from a place of love along with unhealed trauma. Underneath that fear is often something that’s impacting their mental health such as anxiety, depression, or hypervigilance. It is key to realize that even though everyone knows this family member is not mentally well, the family will often allow the unwell person to set the family system. In this example, the least healthy person in the family determines the culture of the family and this continues from generation to generation. And as “broken” family members lead the family culture, it creates the space for generational trauma. The kids think this behavior and thinking are normal and how a family works. As a result, many enter parenthood with unhealed wounds.
https://therapeuticselfcare.com/intergenerational-trauma/
Those unhealed wounds set the stage for a life in “survival mode.” Generational trauma can show up in the way parents speak to their children, in difficulty with forming positive attachments with their children, and in insecurity and anxiety about parenting decisions.
Related Reading: Transgenerational Trauma: Healing the Legacy of Trauma
Generational Trauma Symptoms:
So how do you know if you are affected by generational trauma? Look out for the following which may indicate generational trauma:
- Difficulty with trust/intimacy
- Being hypervigilant
- Unhealthy attachment
- Numbing yourself
- Low Self-Esteem
- Refusing to address mental health challenges
- Holding onto anger
- Talking about feelings is viewed as a weakness
- Sweeping things under the rug to “keep the peace”
Healing a New Generation
Generational trauma is treatable, but it can be complicated because you are not the only one who has experienced that deep emotional wound. The trauma experienced directly or indirectly can be addressed by taking time to explore the experiences and emotions related to the trauma, building an understanding of how the trauma has impacted your life, and learning healthy coping skills to help manage its impact. Generational trauma therapy may also involve addressing intergenerational patterns and beliefs that contribute to the perpetuation of trauma.
Signs You’re Breaking the Cycle
How will you know if you’re breaking the cycle of generational trauma? There can be many signs that are noticeable within your own life that will let you know that you are breaking that cycle of generational trauma. One of the most important things is recognizing and acknowledging that you have experienced a deep emotional wound, or that you can identify the emotional wounds of your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and others that you encounter within your family. Other signs to recognize that you may be breaking the generational trauma cycle are:
- Talking and expressing your thoughts, feelings, and emotions
- Facing your fears
- Being connected to yourself
- Becoming open to trust
- Experiencing more peace
- Setting boundaries
- Getting sober and learning new coping mechanisms
- Ending unhealthy relationships
- Saying “no” rather than people-pleasing
- Consistent self-care
- Going to therapy
- Having compassion for yourself
Recognizing that you have unhealed trauma can be scary and you may feel as if you don’t know where to start. The amazing thing about the journey to healing is that we all have the ability and choice to heal. It can take time to get there, especially with generational trauma, because it didn’t start for you overnight and it won’t suddenly change for you overnight. As you find your way towards healing, lean on those you can trust and most of all trust yourself.
Life Care Wellness specializes in the treatment of trauma and offers generational trauma therapy. Our therapists are trained in well-researched, trauma-specific therapies including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Somatic Experiencing (SE). We also offer Mindfulness and Yoga Therapies that can help diminish PTSD symptoms as you are healing. Contact us to begin your healing today.
“Pain will travel through families until someone is brave enough to feel it.” Stephi Wagner
Aaron Johnson is a licensed therapist at Life Care Wellness seeing clients in the Jefferson Park neighborhood in Chicago. Aaron specializes in working with children, teens, and young adults who are navigating difficult times and finding ways to overcome challenges. Aaron utilizes a client-centered, strengths-based approach, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
