Personality is the dynamic side of the life which uniquely is influenced by the life experiences, environment, knowledge, emotions, motivations and behaviors of others. Childhood trauma is one of the strong predictors that can have a negative impact on the personality development. Trauma can have a lifelong effect. Childhood trauma is an event experienced by a child that threatens their life or bodily integrity. Physical or sexual abuse, for example, can be clearly traumatic for children. One-time events like a car accident, natural disaster (like a hurricane), or medical trauma can take a psychological toll on children as well. Ongoing stress, such as living in a dangerous neighborhood or being the victim of bullying, can be traumatic, even if it just feels like daily life to an adult.
Childhood trauma also doesn’t have to occur directly to the child. For instance, watching a loved one suffer can be extremely traumatic as well. Exposure to violent media can also traumatize children. It can have huge impact on their personality. Researchers concluded that children who watches trauma on media became aggressive. Children aged 0-2 years may experience the following symptoms from trauma: low verbal skills, memory problems, screech or excessive crying, low appetite, weight loss or digestive problems. In the case of children aged 3-6 years, difficulties are reported in concentrating and learning at school, developing learning disabilities, showing poor development skills, imitating the abusive event, may be verbally abusive, cannot make friends easily, lacks confidence and is considered guilty of the traumatic event. Many children are exposed to traumatic events at one point or another. While most of them experience distress following a traumatic event, the vast majority of them return to a normal state of functioning in a relatively short period of time. Some kids are much less affected by their circumstances than others. Between 3% and 15% of girls and 1% to 6% of boys—develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a traumatic even.
Children with PTSD may re-experience the trauma in their minds over and over again. They may also avoid anything that reminds them of the trauma or they may re-enact their trauma in their play. Sometimes children believe they missed warning signs predicting the traumatic event. In an effort to prevent future traumas, they become hyper-vigilant in looking for warning signs that something bad is going to happen again. Children with PTSD may also have problems with : Anger and aggression Anxiety Depression Difficulty trusting other, Feelings of isolation, Poor self-esteem, Self-destructive behavior. Even children who don’t develop PTSD may still exhibit emotional and behavioral issues following a traumatic experience. Here are some things to watch out for during the weeks and months after an upsetting event, Anger issues Attention problems ,Changes in appetite Development of new fears ,Increased thoughts about death or safety Irritability , loss of interest in normal activities, problems sleeping Sadness School refusal, Somatic complaints like headaches and stomachaches, the Double-Edged Sword of Childhood Trauma and Dissociation. Traumatic events can affect how a child’s brain develops and that can have lifelong consequences. A study published in 2015 showed that the more adverse childhood experiences a person has, the higher their risk of health and wellness problems later in life. A study published in 2016 in Psychiatric Times noted that the prevalence of suicide attempts was significantly higher in adults who experienced trauma, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, and parental domestic violence, as a child. Attachment and Relationships A child’s relationship with their caregiver—whether their parents, grandparents, or otherwise—is vital to their emotional and physical health. This relationship and attachment help the little one learn to trust others, manage emotions, and interact with the world around them. When a child experiences a trauma that teaches them that they cannot trust or rely on that caregiver, however, they’re likely to believe that the world around them is a scary place and all adults are dangerous—and that makes it incredibly difficult to form relationships throughout their childhood, including with peers their own age, and into the adult years. Children who struggle to maintain healthy attachments to caregivers are also likely to manage trauma well.
Here are some ways to support a child after a traumatic or upsetting event: Encourage your child to talk about his feelings and validate their emotions. Answer questions honestly. Reassure your child that you’ll do everything you can to keep them safe. Stick to your daily routine as much as possible. Depending on your child’s age and needs, your child may be referred for services such as cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, or family therapy. Medication may also be an option to treat your child’s symptoms. The personality trait extraversion on the other hand, is found to predispose towards experiencing positive life events). This is relevant for patients with psychosis as positive life events may serve as a resilience factor for mental problems. Knowledge about pathways to and characteristics associated with both positive and negative adult life events in patients with psychotic disorders may provide information relevant for relapse prevention programs and treatment. Childhood trauma is still a common social and psychological problem. Individuals with childhood trauma show much more depression, anxiety, distorted cognition, personality deficits, and lower levels of social support, which may represent the social and psychological vulnerability for developing psychiatric disorders after childhood trauma experiences. Childhood trauma can affect a person’s life in both physical and psychological terms. They affect the behavioral, emotional, and mental health of the person. But not all people who suffer from trauma can develop serious problems, some of them are returning to the usual way of life. It all depends on the intensity of the trauma, its duration and the resistance of the person to traumatic events. In cases where trauma affects a person’s life to a very large extent, this must seek help from specialists who can provide appropriate treatment. It is important to recognize when your child may need professional help with dealing with trauma. Early intervention may even prevent your child from experiencing the ongoing effects of the trauma as an adult.
