Can Childhood Trauma Effect My Personality?

“Hello there! I’m here to provide you with a bit of information on how the trauma you have experienced during childhood may continue to influence your adulthood personality and life in general, to normalize these states of mind and help you feel understood during your journey of growth and healing. I would like to remind you that suggestions on this post should not be taken as medical advice, therapy, or as a one-size-fits-all approach. Keep in mind that every individual’s journey of experiencing and navigating through stress or trauma is distinctive because you are one of a kind and no person is truly like you! Experiencing abuse in any form is NOT OKAY, but what you are experiencing as a result of abuse is valid. Please know that healing is not a formula and is not for anyone else to define for you. You do you, and you follow all that you need to follow, to help yourself. If you need additional resources or just someone to talk to, feel free to reach out to Imaara Foundation."

Written By: Pranati Palanivel

What is childhood trauma?

Serious unfavorable childhood experiences are described as childhood trauma.

A variety of situations that fall under the category of psychological trauma can affect children:

including neglect

abandonment

sexual abuse

emotional abuse

physical abuse

seeing a parent or sibling being abused, and

having a parent who is mentally ill.

These occurrences have significant psychological, physiological, and societal repercussions and can have detrimental, long-lasting implications on health and wellbeing, including antisocial behavior's, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and sleep difficulties (Childhood trauma, 2023).

What are some signs of repressed childhood trauma?

The emotional effects of childhood trauma may appear in one or more of the following ways. During stressful circumstances, these symptoms may occur or get worse.

1. Strong reactions: Strong reactions can catch you off guard. Someone you've just met could make you feel uneasy because they make you think of someone who was a part of your traumatic background.

2. Anxiety: Childhood trauma increases the likelihood of anxiety. Adrenaline rushes through the body in response to anxiety, prompting it to either fight or flee a situation. Your heart rate quickens, and you can experience nausea.

3. Childish responses: Childish responses may resemble a tantrum. You have juvenile demeanor, exhibit stubbornness, and struggle to control your outbursts.

4. Inability to handle change: When you are forced outside your comfort zone, stress is typical. When a shift consistently results in strong, negative feelings that disrupt daily life or interpersonal interactions, it becomes problematic.

5. Extreme mood swings: Trauma victims or survivors may experience numbness or strong emotions. Some people have trouble pinpointing the source of their frustration, tension, or rage.

6. There are some places that are unsettling: Uncomfortable sounds, images, smells, surroundings, or other sensations may be experienced. For instance, if an ACE happened in an elevator, anxiety or panic can be brought on by other cramped areas.

7. Low self-esteem: Low self-esteem can be difficult to recognize, but it manifests itself via lack of self-worth, people-pleasing, failing to set boundaries, and fear of judgement. With low self-esteem, frustration, social anxiety, and distrust might develop too.

8. Chronic pain or illnesses: According to several studies, those who experienced early childhood trauma may be more likely to experience chronic pain or illnesses as they age.

9. Abandonment issues: A youngster is frequently harmed by those who are meant to care for them. This may change how trust is built, which could result in a severe fear of abandonment (Porrey, 2022).

What is personality?

The term "personality" refers to the persistent traits, interests, motivations, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns that make up a person's particular way of adjusting to life (Personality, n.d.).

Can childhood trauma gradually effect you personality?

Yes, it is possible.

One important factor that can negatively effect the formation of one's personality is childhood trauma. Childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on an individual. (Wang et al., 2018)

Can childhood trauma cause future issues in one's personality?

Findings from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study, one of the largest studies of personality disorders, indicate a connection between the quantity and kind of childhood traumas experienced and the emergence of issues in personality.

For instance, rates of childhood sexual abuse were particularly high in those with borderline personality disorder (What Causes Personality Disorders, n.d.).

This does not mean that everyone who has experienced childhood trauma, experiences issues in personality development.

What kind of personality development issues are observed amongst some people with childhood trauma?

Individuals may experience some (if not all) of the following:

• trouble understanding or controlling their emotions

• self-image problems

• motional swings

• behavioral adjustments

• a feeling of instability and unease

According to University of Manchester research, people with Borderline Personality Disorder are 13 times more likely to report experiencing childhood trauma than people without any mental health issues. Physical neglect was the most prevalent unfavorable event that patients with BPD described, accounting for 48.9% of all reports, followed by emotional abuse (42.5%), physical abuse (36.4%), sexual abuse (32.1%), and emotional neglect (25.3%).(Borderline Personality Disorder has the Strongest Link to Childhood Trauma, 2019).

Individuals may also experience a pervasive psychological reliance on other people. Only a minority of people with this state of behaviour and mind achieve typical levels of independence and it is a long-term condition in which people rely on others to meet their emotional and physical needs.

Traumatic childhood experiences can lead to an individual developing Dependent Personality Disorder as it makes an individual loathe and/or despise themselves. It's likely that these individuals believe they can't trust themselves as a result of what occurred during their formative years. Because children don't want these experiences to repeat, these childhood events are quite likely to alter their behavior's. When adults, even a slight alteration in behavior or personality may have profound implications.(Why Do People Develop DPD, 2018).

Can you prevent or reduce the effects of childhood trauma?

1. The first step in helping your child recover from trauma is to offer support.

2. You can seek out a mental health specialist who is trained to handle the trauma your child is experiencing and enroll them in therapy as soon as you can.

3. In addition, family treatment is advised. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a focus on trauma is one type of therapy that involves the family.

What is the process of CBT for children?

Usually, a therapist will discuss goals and create a treatment plan with the child, the parent or care-giver.

CBT uses an organized process to address issues in a predetermined number of sessions. Depending on the child and the specific goals, it could take as little as six sessions or as many as 20.

Despite being a form of talk therapy, CBT is so much more. The therapist will attempt to provide your child practical means of asserting themselves and taking charge.

They will cover techniques that can be used right away.

According to meta-analyses, up to 60% of children and adolescents who receive CBT for anxiety disorders recover with a significant reduction in maladaptive symptoms after treatment. These recovery rates are expected to persist after 4 years post therapy, according to follow-up studies of children treated in community mental health clinics.

Despite the fact that many therapists have received CBT training, it's important to find one with expertise working with children. Here are a few things to watch out for:

• Credentials: A clinical social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, or certified counsellor are all good options. A professional who is licensed has proven they are qualified to work in your state.

• Experience: Look for a specialist who has experience working with children or teenagers.

• Transparency: After an initial evaluation or session with you and your child, seek out a specialist who will state goals and present a treatment plan (Pietrangelo, 2019).

What treatment options are available for adults who have experienced childhood trauma?

Trauma experienced during childhood may have negative consequences now and in the future. The good news is that treatment can assist you in identifying triggers, creating coping mechanisms, and lessening symptoms— all in a secure and encouraging atmosphere.

Here are some common therapeutic approaches used with adolescents, young adults, and plder adults:

1. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT):

A subtype of cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) is cognitive processing therapy (CPT). When treating PTSD, CPT is frequently the primary option, particularly when dealing with the ongoing repercussions of childhood trauma in adulthood. Here is a resource that gives more information about CBT/CPT in India - https://coachformind.com/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-in-india/

2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR):

Another therapy for treating trauma and PTSD is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Rewiring traumatic memories with repetitive eye movements is known as EMDR. Here is a resource that gives more information about EMDR in India - https://emdrindia.org/emdr-community/

3. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET):

NET is a brief individual intervention that concentrates on integrating trauma exposure into a timeline of one's own autobiography. This type of therapy is relatively common in India.

4. Play Therapy:

Play therapy employs the healing potential of play to assist children in overcoming trauma. Children ages 1-3 are typically the population that enroll in play therapy. Here is a resource that gives more information about play therapy in India - https://www.playtherapyindia.org/

5. Art therapy:

The consequences of traumatic situations can be addressed and healed using artistic expression in art therapy. There are different art media, such as sculpting, painting, coloring, and drawing. Here is a resource that gives more information about art therapy in India-https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-explore/lifestyle/five-centres-in-india-that-bring-mental-health-to-the-fore-using-art-therapy/ (Lindberg, 2021).

Want the references for this article?

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). What causes personality disorders? American Psychological Association. Retrieved January 8, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/topics/personality-disorders/causes

Dependent personality disorder causes: Why do people develop DPD? Online Expat Counselling for individuals and couples. (2018, July 13). Retrieved January 8, 2023, from https://barendspsychology.com/dependent-personality-disorder-causes/

Lindberg, S. (2021, March 4). Therapy for childhood trauma can make a huge difference. Healthline. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/therapy-for-childhood-trauma

Melissa Porrey LPC, N. C. C. (2022, January 26). Healing after relational trauma. Verywell Health. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/facts-and-healing-steps-after-relational-trauma-5212446

Personality - American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/topics/personality/

Personality - American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/topics/personality/

University of Manchester. (2019, November 17). Borderline personality disorder has the strongest link to childhood trauma. Retrieved January 8, 2023, from https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/borderline-personality-disorder-has-strongest-link-to-childhood-trauma/

Wang, D., Lu, S., Gao, W., Wei, Z., Duan, J., Hu, S., Huang, M., Xu, Y., & Li, L. (2018, November). The impacts of childhood trauma on psychosocial features in a Chinese sample of young adults. Psychiatry investigation. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6258995/

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, January 1). Childhood trauma. Wikipedia. Retrieved January 8, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_trauma