Thread by @Theholisticpsyc

Childhood trauma comes back as a reaction, a symptom, or a core belief.

A THREAD 🧵:

Childhood trauma is so impactful on our lives because it's trauma that occurred during our emotional development.

This shapes: the way we see ourselves, other people, and the world around us.

C-PTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder) is the result of a series of compounded childhood traumas.

It can result from: childhood emotional neglect, emotionally immature parent figures, unstable or chaotic environments, witnessing parent figures dysfunctional marriage, being parentified (role reversal where the child becomes the parent) etc.

SYMPTOMS OF C-PTSD:

1. Emotional flashbacks: feeling anxious, irritable, "moody" or having intense sensations when you experience a trigger event.

A trigger event is something that reminds you of the core trauma.

Ex: When someone comes into the room you are easily startled because your father would go into rage cycles out of nowhere as a child.

2. Hyperarousal: a hyper awareness of the environment where your body is on alert.

When we experience childhood trauma, our internal threat system is on overdrive.

We don't feel at ease in situations that are outside of our comfort zone. Can look like: dizziness, fear of crowds, intense anxiety, heart pounding etc.

3. Relational Issues: our childhood relationships set the foundation for our adult relationships.

When we don't develop in safe relationships, we will develop insecure attachment patterns.

Meaning, relationships feel unsafe and overwhelming.

4. Little or no memories: when we can't remember much or anything about our childhood, it's likely we were dissociated.

Dissociation is when we leave our bodies yet appear physically present. It's a protection mechanism that allows us to stay safe.

5. Confusion over what is "real": a core trait of childhood trauma is having your reality denied.

Parent figures directly ("that didn't happen") or indirectly (event occurs and no one talks about it) deny your reality which causes a lack of self trust.

This creates an inability to trust your own perception or creates a situation where we gaslight ourselves.

6. Apathy, overall disconnection: can look like numbness or "checking out" of life

C-PTSD creates a perception that the world is dangerous, bad, and that life is meaningless or hopeless.

This often is labeled as depression.

7. Inability to self regulate: we learn how to regulate our emotions from our parent figures.

If we don't learn how to self regulate, we can turn to: food, alcohol, shopping, or any other coping mechanism we were modeled.

Childhood trauma changes the way our brain functions.

Specifically, it impacts the: amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.

This influences how we perceive our environment, our ability to access logic, and how we respond to situations.

Things to understand when healing C-PTSD:

1. The body must be brought into treatment (somatic therapies are helpful)

2. Widening your window is key: to heal, we have to teach people how to widen their stress window of tolerance, slowly.

3. Boundaries are your friend: those with C-PTSD almost always come from family systems that lack boundaries. Learning to set and hold boundaries is key.

4. Honor the inner child: our inner child needs to feel safe and validated.

5. Acknowledge abuse for what it is: typically, those that experienced childhood trauma, downplay or say "it wasn't that bad."

Understanding childhood emotional abuse and neglect is key to grieving the events, and healing from them.

If you found this helpful follow: @Theholisticpsyc

I write threads every day on how to heal yourself.

For more on C-PTSD and healing childhood trauma checkout my upcoming workbook: howtomeetyourself.com