Chances are, we have fond childhood memories of birthdays, school, friends, and fun times with family. Likewise, we may have some negative memories from when we were young. Maybe we even have memories of one or more events that were traumatic. Regardless, memories like these are only fleeting moments from years ago and most of the details have been long since forgotten. So why does childhood trauma still affect me now?
Why Trauma Is More Than Bad Memories
We all have bad memories, even from our childhood. Maybe we remember that one time when we got our favorite ice cream on our birthday, then it fell onto the sidewalk. Perhaps the memory that stands out is when we were so close to winning that spelling bee, but we got that really hard word and lost. While these kinds of memories can be troublesome, they are very different from memories of trauma.
Trauma is when something is so particularly painful, disturbing, or distressful that the suffering associated with the event makes a lasting impression in our minds. Traumatic events can be experienced firsthand or simply witnessed. Either way, they can be extremely harmful to our brains. Some examples of childhood trauma include:
- Family dysfunction, including behaviors from substance use or mental illness
- Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
- Losing a loved one through divorce or death
- Accidents or serious injury or illness
- Being bullied
- Violence or war
Why Trauma Lasts
While we may remember our bad memories, trauma has an impact on us mentally and physically which is more than just a memory. When something is experienced that causes great distress, the fight or flight response in our brains takes over and cortisol is released as a short-term response to avoid immediate danger. However, when trauma occurs, this response can remain long-term, repeating every time something reminds us of that initial traumatic experience. As a result, we can feel like we are in danger long after the traumatic event is over. When high levels of cortisol remain in our brains long-term, it affects our mental health and brain functioning. This extended fight or flight response makes an imprint on or minds and bodies, affecting us long after the event has passed.
When Trauma becomes PTSD
The long-term effects of trauma can last for years, giving us flashbacks and nightmares without warning. Physically, when this occurs, it is as if our brain is on a loop with our traumatic event. As a result, the fight or flight response may replay over and over, as well.
We may become emotionally numb or avoid people and places, particularly if we associate them with our trauma. Perhaps we notice that we are easily startled, agitated or angered, and have difficulty focusing or sleeping. Symptoms like these are signs that our trauma has led to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. If we do not seek medical or therapeutic treatment for it, we may not be able to heal from it.
What We Do with Trauma
One of the most significant ways that trauma impacts us now is that many of us turn to substances in an attempt to escape or numb the pain. Inherently, we do not know how to address or heal from trauma on our own. When we use substances to try to heal our pain, it is often referred to as self-medicating.
Substance use can become an addiction. And while drinking and/or using may have helped us escape for some time, eventually we will be left with the pain of addiction compounding the pain of our childhood trauma. Once addiction has been activated, we lose control of our lives and the substances take over all our thoughts and decisions. Childhood trauma can create a downward spiral of pain and misery in our lives that, if left untreated, will only serve to perpetuate addiction.
How We Can Heal from Trauma
Once we have become addicted to substances, we need help to heal. Typically, healing takes place when we seek treatment. However, we cannot truly heal from substance use until we also work through our childhood trauma. Fortunately, most treatment programs include therapy to support us as we take on these challenges.
There are a couple of specific evidence-based therapeutic practices that are particularly helpful in healing childhood and other trauma. One is called Eye-Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and involves a sensory distraction, allowing us to access and reprocess the traumatic event with our therapist. This reprocessing helps our brains to let us know that we are safe from the old trauma. Additionally, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a powerful form of talk therapy that helps us to heal from trauma and offers coping skills for all of life’s obstacles.
Healing From Childhood Trauma
With therapy, we can heal from our childhood trauma. When we have healed from the trauma, we can also heal from our substance use. This body, mind, and spiritual healing is a holistic approach that allows us to truly recover from our substance use.
Why does childhood trauma affect me now? The answer is because trauma is more than just bad memories. At Rancho Milagro Recovery, we offer treatment programs focused on learning how to heal from trauma while recovering from substance abuse. Call us today, at (951) 526-4582, and find out how you can finally heal the wounds that have been hurting since childhood. Find healing from your trauma today.