The Lasting Effects of Childhood Trauma on Your Mental and Physical Health

Childhood trauma is one of the most common causes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and it can be linked to many other mental illnesses in adulthood. If you’re constantly forced to struggle with anxiety, nightmares, mood swings, and other mental and physical symptoms of PTSD, it might be time to consult a specialist experienced in treating trauma. 

At Brain Revive Psychiatry, LLC, in Lakewood, Colorado, Alison Burton, DNP, PMHNP, treats patients challenged by the ongoing symptoms and struggles of childhood trauma and PTSD. Here’s what you need to know about this type of trauma, and why seeking help is so important. 

PTSD Basics

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that has received a lot of attention in recent years. More and more people are acknowledging influential events in their past for what they are: trauma. 

It’s not unusual for people to downplay their own experiences when the label trauma is involved. The truth is that PTSD isn’t limited to veterans or victims of violent crime; men, women, and children from all walks of life can have traumatic events in their past that affect their future. 

Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize that they’ve been traumatized, causing confusion and even misdiagnosis when they experience the lasting effects of trauma. 

Lasting effects of untreated childhood trauma 

Following a traumatic event or situation, many children will seemingly “move on” without much ado. They might display a few symptoms of PTSD, but they’ll often process and work through their feelings in the background, unable to properly voice what they’re feeling. 

This gives the impression that they’ve recovered from their trauma or were never traumatized to begin with. However, just because a child acclimates and carries burdens quietly doesn’t mean that they’ve overcome what happened to them. 

In fact, extended periods of abuse or neglect in childhood can lead to C-PTSD, defined by its complexity. Adults with C-PTSD may not realize how deeply their trauma has affected them, because they’ve learned to cope in the most difficult living situations. 

Lasting effects of untreated childhood trauma

Until you’ve been given the knowledge and skills to process what happened to you, you’ll continue to suffer the mental and physical effects of your childhood trauma as you age. This doesn’t mean you’re broken. It does mean that you can have a healthier life.

Ignored childhood trauma most often manifests in your mental and emotional health, with symptoms including: 

• Nightmares and flashbacks 
• Depression, despair, and hopelessness
• Feeling constantly on guard and easily startled 
• Difficulty maintaining relationships
• Irritability and aggression 
• Fear of abandonment
• Anxiety and phobias 
• Low self-esteem

The bodily stress of carrying trauma and anxiety can lead to muscle stiffness, headaches, and an increased risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses. Untreated trauma is also a common factor among those who have fallen into patterns of substance abuse, which risk your health the longer you go untreated. 

If you’re struggling with specific aspects of your childhood, it’s tempting to sweep them under the rug and insist that you’ve moved on. However, consulting a specialist can help you begin overcoming your past, learning skills that will help you in the future. 

At Brain Revive Psychiatry, LLC, Dr. Burton helps patients find productive, healthy ways to address childhood trauma. To learn more and schedule a consultation, call 303-578-8949, or request an appointment online.