By Morgen Makombo Sikwila
Early childhood trauma has a major impact on children’s long and short-term results.
Childhood trauma represents a critical public health issue with profound implications for society.
A significant portion of the population experiences some form of childhood trauma.
These experiences, ranging from physical and sexual abuse to emotional neglect, can have devastating effects in adulthood.
When a child is abused physically, they are hurt or injured by force which is applied. A kid may be burned, shaken, slapped, punched, kicked or struck. Visible injuries like cuts, bruises, fractured bones or other physical indicators can result from physical abuse. A child’s sense of security and confidence can be negativelyimpacted by the fear of experiencing more physical harm, which can cause severe emotional distress.
Emotional abuse damages a child’s identity, feelings and self-worth. It entails behavioural patterns that cause emotional harm to the child by demeaning, embarrassing or ridiculing them. Verbal abuse, unrelenting criticism, denial, threats, neglect and seclusion are examples of emotional abuse. Compared to other forms of abuse, it can be more difficult to identify, but the consequences can be long-lasting, including low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and trouble to establish positive relationships.
Any sexual act or sexual exploitation of a child by an adult or elder is considered sexual abuse. It entails participating in sexual activities with a child that are inappropriate for their developmental stage or age. Sexual abuse can take many forms, from inappropriate fondling, touching or sharing of child pornography to more serious acts like rape, incest or sexual harassment. Sexual abuse can have serious, long-lasting psychological and emotional effects, which frequently results in feelings of guilt, confusion, shame and poor self concept.
Inadequate health care, education, supervision, environmental hazard protection and unfulfilled basic needs like food and clothing are examples of neglect. The most prevalent type of child abuse is neglect.
Domestic violence is when one or more careers act violently or abusively towards one another, it takes place in a family or close relationship context. Children who witness domestic abuse may suffer psychologically and emotionally. Children who are exposed to such violence may experience emotions of fear, helplessness and instability, which may have a detrimental impact on their emotional and behavioural development.
Children who witness acts of crime, gang activity, natural disasters and other forms of violence in their neighbourhood or community may also suffer from childhood trauma. Feelings of vulnerability, insecurity and terror can rise from seeing or experiencing acts of community violence.
A child may suffer severetrauma if they witness the death of a loved one, a parent divorcing them, their abandonment or their separation from carers. A child’s emotional stability and coping mechanisms may be impacted by grief and or loss.
Childhood trauma is recognized as a significant risk factor for the development of mental health problems in adulthood. Adverse experiences during childhood such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse, as well as neglect can have profound or ripple and long-lasting effects on individuals’ psychological well-being. Adults who have experienced childhood trauma are at increased risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse disorders. The impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health outcomes is complex, with factors such as severity, duration and timing of the trauma play crucial roles in shaping individual’s psychological functioning later in life. Individuals who experience traumatic events during childhood may carry the psychological scars in adulthood leading to persistent symptoms of PTSD that would interfere with daily functioning and quality of life.
Substance abuse is a prevalent adult mental health problem that can be linked to childhood trauma. Childhood trauma can lead to maladaptive coping mechanisms, including substance use, as individuals may turn to drugs or alcohol to numb emotional pain, alleviate distressing memories or cope with symptoms of anxiety, depression or PTSD. Childhood trauma can contribute to the dysregulation of the brain’s stress response systems thereby increasing vulnerability to addiction and substance misuse.
Self-harm and suicidal behaviour are significant adult mental health problems linked to childhood trauma. Self-harm is one inappropriate way of dealing that can arise from childhood trauma. People who self-harm do so to control overwhelming emotions, ease psychological distress or communicate internal pain. Childhood trauma can lead to disturbances in attachment, identity and emotional regulation, further increasing vulnerability to self-harm and suicidal ideation.
Childhood trauma can disrupt the development of emotional regulation skills, self concept and interpersonal relationships, contributing to the core features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in adulthood. Individuals with BPD may engage in self-destructive behaviours, such as self-harm, substance abuse or risky behaviours.
Dissociative disorders are prevalent adult mental health problems often attributed to childhood trauma. Dissociation serves as a defense mechanism to cope with overwhelming or trauma experiences leading to disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity and perception of reality.
The impact of childhood trauma continues in adulthood causing disruptions in the normal function of life of people. The mental pressure of the trauma causes the individuals to show regressive behaviours without any particular reasons. The people that have experienced some form of physical trauma or neglect, they often become the abusers later in their adulthood. It should be noted that the impact of childhood trauma continues to persist in adulthood in the form of problematic behaviours, and other issues like social problems, substance abuse, criminal activities, bedwetting, nightmares and in many cases become the abusers themselves.
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSc Peace and Governance
BSC Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health Health Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
email address: morgensikwilam@gmail.com
Phone Number: 0772823282
