Trauma experienced in childhood can have a deep impact on adult life. You may feel like that period of your life isn’t relevant to who you are today, but it turns out that trauma we hold onto from childhood can affect every aspect of our adult life.

Our memories from childhood can vary greatly, and for some, negative things happen that can rock a child’s world. For many, the traumatic experiences from childhood, and emotional and psychological stress, are something that cannot be forgotten so easily.

In this blog we’ll learn more about the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults, how this might be affecting your life today, and what you can do to overcome childhood trauma.

Understanding Repressed Childhood Trauma 

Childhood trauma occurs when a child experiences negative events that leave them feeling vulnerable, frightened and unsafe. Trauma may occur directly to a child, such as childhood abuse, or because a parent or carer is affected by their own trauma, leaving them unable to meet a child’s needs. This is also known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs.)

For those who have experienced childhood trauma, pushing down the painful traumatic memories is often the only way to cope with the strong emotions that the past brings. But this form of emotional protection can cause many different psychological issues in adulthood.

Repressed memories can be challenging to heal, mostly because a person may not be aware of their existence, or the impact they have on their life.

Signs of Repressed Childhood Trauma in Adults

When trauma is left unprocessed, it can show up later on in adult life in differing ways. Here are some of the most common signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults:

Anxiety

Trauma causes a child to be in a constant state of fight or flight. This trauma stays in the body and can present as anxiety. This may look like a tendency to worry, a lack of self-trust, and a need to control things.

Mood swings

Repressed childhood trauma can leave a person struggling to regulate their emotions. Being honest about what you are feeling will help you to begin to make connections with any memories from the past.

Attachment issues

If a child has witnessed traumatic events, they may struggle with emotional safety, and attachment in adult relationships. This often shows up as codependency, where a person relies on another to satisfy their emotional needs.

Childlike behaviour

Regression is common for trauma survivors. A person begins to revert to the child that is still inside them, displaying outbursts of anger, childlike speech, or even tantrums. These are all coping mechanisms that may be adopted when trauma is stored away and not processed.

Self-esteem issues

Low self-esteem can be damaging on many levels, and long-lasting if not dealt with. On the opposite spectrum, a person who is affected by repressed trauma may think too highly of themselves, be preoccupied with their own needs, seek attention from others, and display narcissistic and/or manipulative behaviour. If you’re struggling with self-esteem issues, have a look at some of our tips here.

Feeling constantly on edge

People who have experienced trauma will often have a dysregulated nervous system. Proper healing of repressed trauma allows for closure, and will stop a person feeling so on edge.

Trust issues

As children, our caregivers are the first people we trust. If they were not able to protect you and keep you safe in the way you needed, you may have developed trust issues as an adult. This can deeply affect many parts of life, especially relationships.

Addictions

Many adults that experienced trauma as a child will develop coping methods in order to numb the pain they feel deep within. This might look like alcohol or drug dependency, substance abuse, or addictions. The more ACEs a person has had, the higher their risk of addictive behaviour.

Physical and Mental Health Impact of Childhood Trauma

Traumatic experiences in childhood can be especially damaging in adulthood. The long-term physical impact of carrying trauma in the body has been linked to cancer, strokes, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, eating disorders, substance abuse, and many more conditions. This is thought to be due to the chronic stress experienced from trauma, which then increases the body’s stress hormone response.

It is known that stress lowers our immune systems, which leads to more frequent illness and health problems. It is believed that children who have experienced trauma are also more likely to develop chronic diseases, and may even have stunted physical development due to poor care.

Studies have shown that the stress experienced during traumatic events is enough to prevent the brain storing information, causing memory loss. This is known as dissociative amnesia and is often triggered when a person is in denial, or the brain wants to forget painful memories of the past.

Prolonged exposure to situations which feel scary and unsafe can lead to poor self-esteem, depression and anxiety disorders. Recent research has indicated that those who have experienced childhood trauma are much more likely to suffer from mental illnesses.

Complex traumas such as sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or even witnessing domestic violence or natural disasters, all put a child’s body in a constant state of stress. This can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which may show up as flashbacks, disassociation, and behavioural issues. It’s important to speak with a mental health professional if you think that you, or someone you know, may be suffering from PTSD.

Uncovering Repressed Trauma

It can feel challenging to unearth repressed trauma, but it’s important to process the things that you have been holding onto.

Meditation can provide a quiet space for you to tune into, and acknowledge your feelings. Much of the trauma we repress is stored in our muscles so combining meditation with movement and exercise will help begin the release process.

Counselling and therapy can help you to safely recall repressed trauma from childhood, and gently process it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one approach which works by replacing negative thought and behaviour patterns with healthier, more positive ones.

Healing from Childhood Trauma

Working through trauma may feel uncomfortable and unsettling. It is common to feel a sense of sadness and grief as you let go of the trauma you have been holding onto. Here are some ways to support your healing:

1. Recognise and acknowledge the trauma

   It can be distressing to unearth past pain, but hold space for yourself to recognise what happened and meet your feelings. You are not to blame for the experiences that have caused you to feel unsafe.

2. Ask for help

   Working with a therapist or talking things through with a trusted person can help you to feel less alone. Working through your past experiences will help you to recognise the ways in which this stored trauma plays out in your life today.

3. Process your feelings

   Journaling is a fantastic way of making sense of the things you are feeling. You can use it to connect to your inner self, and if you can, allow your thoughts to pour out onto the paper, without judgement. You can find out more about its benefits here.

4. Begin to build self-trust

   Building self-trust is the first step on the journey to regaining your sense of power. There are many ways to build self-trust, such as following through with commitments you’ve made to yourself, and showing yourself kindness.

5. Look after your health

   Looking after ourselves physically is vital for reclaiming our power, and supporting our mental and emotional healing. You could begin by thinking about diet, self-care and exercise.

6. Find ways to regulate your nervous system

   A regulated nervous system helps us to deal with stress more calmly, and will help us to experience increased well-being. Ways to regulate the nervous system include deep breathing, spending time in nature, and practising mindfulness.

7. Be patient with yourself

   You are not defined by the trauma that you have experienced. As you embark on this healing journey, remember to be kind and gentle with yourself, as you learn to love and accept the wonderful human that you are.

Key Takeaways

Healing childhood trauma is an important part of spiritual growth, and can transform your life. There is lots you can do to meet yourself where you are, and create the right environment to begin to process any hurt from your past. This begins with acknowledging how you are feeling, and committing to giving yourself the time and space to process things.

Working with an experienced therapist such as Gareth can help you to delve deeper and get to the root of childhood trauma that could be affecting your life today.