Most days, six to eight people sit on my purple couch and tell me their stories. A significant percentage of these people have been exposed to the dark waters of trauma, ranging from a single betrayal to repeated abuse. I don’t always call it that. It’s not always discussed right away. Disclosure can resemble a quiet, shaky admission that you were a “bad kid” before detailing the abuse, criticism, rejection, and pain. People may also feel more comfortable talking about their trauma. They may reveal in their first session that they escaped a fire or natural disaster.
I leaned back and tried to imagine these stories through their eyes. We appreciate their trust. In some cases, EMDR may be performed.
One of the main themes of psychotherapist training is trauma treatment. Protocols are designed and tested. We gather at summits and conferences to discuss ways to help people make peace with their pasts.
Still, I often wonder what if the events that caused the aftermath never happened.
effects of trauma
Mental health experts often rattle off statistics. Children who experience abuse are at increased risk for low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and substance use as adults (Downey and Crummy, 2022). Trauma increases the odds of most mental disorders (Hogg et al., 2023), and the more traumatic experiences a person has experienced, the more likely they are to develop a mental health condition (Mckay et al., 2021).
This is not to say that trauma causes these problems. However, from the perspective of stress diathesis, where the combination of sufficient stress and genetic vulnerability paves the way to psychological distress, it seems likely that traumatic experiences may be the trigger.
troublesome problem
Yet we hear far less about efforts to prevent trauma, especially childhood trauma. Adults who have experienced abuse can seek therapy, but often abused children are afraid to tell anyone their story. Older children are aware of the laws that require reporting and the risk of being separated from their families if they share. In families where abuse occurs, the situation is not always “bad” and love often still exists between parent and child.
Emotional abuse may not be reportable in all states, and when it is reported, effective interventions may be diluted.
Family mistrust, limited resources, and understaffing are just some of the endless obstacles social service workers face when intervening in cases of abuse and neglect. Most trauma can be caused unintentionally by removing youth from the home and even from the investigation process.
Lots of questions, not many answers
I’m not going to be able to answer these questions. Still, I wondered, “What if we refocused more resources on reducing social stress, supporting families, and providing early and compassionate intervention for all types of childhood trauma? ” I wonder. Either way, I believe the best way to treat trauma is to prevent it.
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