The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Mental Health

As a somatic psychologist, when I think about the impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health, I believe it’s one of the most profound and often overlooked aspects of our emotional well-being. Childhood trauma can shape our mental and emotional lives in ways that stretch far into adulthood. It can show up in many forms—abuse, neglect, loss, or exposure to violence—each leaving its own lasting imprint on our developing minds and bodies.

As we grow, these early wounds may remain hidden beneath the surface, subtly affecting our mental health, relationships, and self-image, often in ways we don't fully understand. Throughout my work, I have had the privilege of supporting many individuals who’ve faced the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma. Through this journey, I’ve learned that healing is not just possible, but essential for reclaiming a fulfilling life. In this article, we will explore how childhood trauma affects mental health and how therapy, particularly somatic therapy, can help you heal and move forward from the past.

Understanding Childhood Trauma

You may have heard of somatic therapy being used to heal trauma. Trauma can feel like a big word, but in reality, it includes the small moments where we felt unable to cope with what we were feeling. We all have experiences in life that overwhelm us. It can be as simple and scary as being forgotten as a child and left all alone at school when all the other children have gone home. We are scared and we can feel helpless. When we are overwhelmed, we do the best we can to survive the experience and create ways of responding that are aimed at protecting us from the pain.

Trauma arises from experiences that overwhelm our ability to cope and is a universal part of being human. Childhood trauma can also mean big events that cause significant emotional, psychological, or physical harm during the formative years of childhood. This could be physical abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse, witnessing domestic violence, the death of a loved one, or being subjected to major illness or instability. These experiences disrupt a child’s sense of safety, which is foundational for healthy emotional development.

It's important to note that trauma isn’t just about the event itself – it’s about how we as children experience and process it. For some, trauma is easier to cope with, depending on various factors such as family support, temperament, or the ability to self-soothe. For others, however, the effects of trauma can be profound and enduring. And often, these effects follow them into adulthood in ways that can be challenging to understand and deal with.

How Childhood Trauma Affects Mental Health

For many of us, the emotional pain from childhood trauma doesn’t simply fade away as we grow older. Instead, it often shows up in various aspects of our adult lives, affecting our mental health in ways that can feel overwhelming and hard to pinpoint. Let's explore how trauma can manifest as we get older:

1.     Anxiety and Panic Disorders

Childhood trauma can leave us with an overactive stress response system. As children, we are wired to react to perceived threats to survive, entering survival mode with the "fight or flight" response. This state of alertness can stay active long after the immediate danger has passed. As adults, this heightened sense of readiness can lead to chronic anxiety, panic attacks, or a general sense of fear, even when there is no immediate threat.

If you experienced trauma in childhood, you may find yourselves always on edge, unable to relax, or worrying excessively. This anxiety can show up in many forms, including social anxiety, phobias, or generalised anxiety disorder. Your nervous system, stuck in the past, keeps expecting danger, even in safe environments.

2.     Depression and Low Self-Esteem

For those of us who faced neglect or abuse in childhood, feelings of unworthiness, shame, and guilt can become a core part of who we are as adults. If we weren’t shown love, attention, or care in healthy ways, we might grow up with a negative view of ourselves. This can lead to depression, sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of motivation.When we lack emotional validation in childhood, we develop a fundamental sense of low self-worth that carries into adulthood. We might feel that we don’t deserve love or happiness, leading to persistent sadness and isolation. This can even manifest as emotional numbness—a detachment from the world that makes it hard to experience joy, even in the happiest of times.

3.     Relationship Difficulties

Childhood trauma can significantly affect our ability to form healthy relationships. If we experienced emotional or physical abuse as children, we may struggle with trust, vulnerability, and attachment. The lack of nurturing or safety during early years can create patterns that are difficult to break in adult relationships.

For example, you may find it hard to trust others, fearing abandonment or betrayal, even when there's no reason to suspect it. You may find yourself in unhealthy relationships, feeling emotionally distant from your partner, family, or friends. Or you might fall into toxic relationship patterns, repeating the dynamics you experienced as children. Breaking these cycles is challenging, but it’s possible with the right kind of support.

4.     Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can develop after a traumatic event, and for many people who experienced significant trauma in childhood, like physical or sexual abuse, or the loss of a parent, the effects can be severe. PTSD manifests in flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and emotional numbing.

People with PTSD may feel hypervigilant, as if the threat they experienced in childhood is about to happen again. This constant state of heightened danger can be exhausting, leaving them emotionally drained, disconnected, or dissociated from their surroundings. It’s as if the nervous system is stuck in "fight or flight," even when far removed from the original trauma.

5.     Physical Health Problems

What many of us don’t realise is that childhood trauma doesn’t just impact our mental health—it can have serious implications for our physical health too. We are at a higher risk of developing chronic health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, and digestive problems.

Our mind and body are deeply connected, and trauma that isn’t processed can manifest physically. This is why somatic therapy is such a vital tool in healing trauma. It helps you recognise and address how trauma is stored in the body, promoting both physical and emotional healing. Somatic therapy encourages you to become more aware of your physical sensations, helping you release stored tension and stress.

How Therapy Can Help

If you have experienced childhood trauma and are struggling with its effects as adults, therapy can be a powerful and transformative tool on our healing journey. As a somatic psychologist, I believe in a holistic approach that integrates both the body and the mind because trauma affects both. Somatic therapy is particularly effective in helping you access and heal trauma that may still be trapped in the body.

Here's how therapy, especially somatic therapy, can support you in healing from childhood trauma:

1.     Creating a Safe Space for Healing

One of the first and most important steps in therapy is to establish safety. If you have experienced trauma, your internal sense of safety may have been shattered, making it difficult to trust, express emotions, or be vulnerable in relationships. Therapy provides a safe, supportive environment where you can begin processing your emotions and feel truly seen and understood.

A skilled therapist will create a trusting relationship, allowing us to explore painful memories and emotions. In this safe space, you can start to regain your sense of control and safety, which was often taken away during traumatic events.

2.     Reconnecting with the Body

Trauma is stored in the body, and somatic therapy helps you reconnect with your physical sensations. Through breathwork, grounding exercises, movement, and touch, somatic therapy encourages you to tune into how your body reacts to emotions. This may involve noticing areas of tension, discomfort, or tightness linked to unresolved trauma.

As you learn to observe and release these physical sensations, you can begin to process and release the emotional charge trapped in your body, helping to reduce stress, calm your nervous system, and promote emotional healing.

3.     Processing Emotions and Letting Go of Shame

Shame is one of the most significant emotional burdens carried by trauma survivors. We may carry the belief that we somehow caused or deserved the trauma. Therapy helps us work through these painful emotions, challenge negative beliefs, and reframe our perceptions of ourselves.

Healing shame is a key part of breaking free from trauma’s grip. Therapy provides a safe environment to process grief, anger, and fear while helping you develop a healthier, more compassionate relationship with yourself.

4.     Building Coping Mechanisms

Therapy helps develop healthy coping strategies to manage the emotional and psychological effects of trauma. Many of us struggle with emotional regulation or feel overwhelmed by stress. Therapy teaches tools like mindfulness, grounding techniques, self-soothing, and emotional regulation, which help us navigate challenging situations in healthier ways.

By learning how to manage emotions, you can break free from patterns of avoidance, numbness, or emotional dysregulation often seen in those with unresolved trauma.

5.     Rewriting the Narrative

In therapy, you can begin to rewrite your personal narrative. Trauma survivors often define themselves by their past pain, feeling like they will always be victims. But through therapy, you can reframe your stories, seeing yourself not as a victim, but as a resilient person who has survived and can thrive. This new narrative empowers you to take ownership of your lives, recognize your strength, and feel motivated to create a future free from the constraints of the past.

Conclusion

The impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health can be profound, affecting everything from emotional well-being to physical health. However, healing is absolutely possible with the right therapeutic support. Through therapy, especially somatic therapy, you can process and release the emotional and physical residue of past trauma. This holistic approach helps restore balance between the mind and body, allowing you to rebuild a sense of safety, self-worth, and emotional resilience. By addressing both the psychological and somatic effects of childhood trauma, therapy offers a path to recovery, empowering you to break free from the grip of the past and lead more fulfilling, connected lives. Healing from childhood trauma isn’t just possible—it’s a transformative journey that opens the door to a brighter future.

References:

Felitti, V.J., Anda, R.F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D.F., Spitz, A.M., Edwards, V., Koss, M.P. and Marks, J.S., 1998.

Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), pp.245–258.

Liked It? Pin It!