Trauma takes many forms and can be triggered by a variety of things. Sometimes, it affects entire generations of a family unit. That often occurs when there is past trauma that gets “handed” down within a family. Other times, trauma caused by family members in your childhood could impact you as an adult.
Whatever the case, family trauma tends to be perpetual. It’s often a vicious cycle that carries on from parents to children, and their children, and their children.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Recognizing that you have family trauma is the first step in breaking the cycle. There are healthy, effective strategies you can put into place immediately that will not only help you heal from what you’ve been through, but will help you stop the cycle in its tracks and avoid the trauma from continuing to the next generation.
Let’s take a closer look at some of those signs and strategies.
What Are the Signs of Family Trauma?
One of the reasons family trauma often cycles from generation to generation is that people aren’t aware of what it looks like. Depression and anxiety can stem from family trauma, but some of the more telltale signs include:
- Attachment issues
- Abandonment issues
- Separation anxiety
- Avoidance
- Difficulties trusting people
Of course, there are many other common signs associated with trauma, in general. You might deal with emotional outbursts, anger, dissociation, or even physical issues like difficulty sleeping, muscle aches, and fatigue.
One of the best things about seeking help from a mental health professional is getting to the root of the issue. Once you start opening up about your struggles, they can help you better understand where they stem from. Sometimes, people have experienced family trauma without fully realizing it. Finally coming to that realization isn’t easy, but it’s a necessary step in the healing process.
Process Your Emotions
Once you’re able to acknowledge your trauma, the next step is being able to process your emotions. Keep in mind that it’s not something that will likely happen quickly. If you’re dealing with family trauma that has been passed down for years, it will take some time to work through everything.
Things like journaling, talking things through with family members who might be experiencing the same things, and working with a therapist are often the best ways to process your emotions without feeling like you’re reliving the trauma you’ve experienced.
Practice Mindfulness
The anxiety that stems from trauma can cause you to experience negative emotions and even flashbacks of what you’ve had to deal with. Unfortunately, that can perpetuate the cycle in your own mind and make it nearly impossible to move forward.
Practicing mindfulness is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety while staying focused on the present. Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Focus on how you feel at that very moment. What do you hear and smell? What are your surroundings? Tuning into the present will keep you from being pulled into traumatic thoughts.
Take Care of Yourself
Self-care isn’t selfish. Years of trauma can sometimes keep you from giving yourself the attention and care you really deserve. Simple things like staying physically active, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep are great forms of self-care that can improve your overall mental well-being and make it easier to fight back against the effects of family trauma.
As you can see, there are multiple strategies that can help you deal with family trauma. But, if you truly want to break the cycle, consider talking to a professional. Family Therapy can help you get to the root of the issue, and work with you to develop more helpful strategies that can separate you from your trauma for good. Contact us to learn more about how family therapy can help.