Last updated on November 19th, 2023 at 03:40 pm
You may have the feeling that something about you isn’t quite right at times. You have strange reactions to some places, people, or situations that you don’t understand. You’re trying to figure out what happened to make you feel this way. If this describes you, then you should look for signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults.
Everyone has experiences that they would rather forget. For many people, these memories are buried deep down and they do their best to avoid thinking or talking about them. These memories can be of happy times, but they can also be of times when something traumatic happened.
Traumatic experiences can include anything from being abused as a child to witnessing a death. Many people who experience traumatic events in their childhood do not necessarily realize that they are affected by them.
Repressed childhood trauma can manifest in adults in a variety of ways. It may manifest as ongoing stress, anxiety, and depression; as recurring thoughts of the traumatic event; as an inability to connect with others; or as a propensity for violence.
If left untreated, repressed childhood trauma can lead to devastating consequences such as substance abuse, chronic illness, and suicide. This is why it’s so important to be able to identify the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults.
8 Signs Of Repressed Childhood Trauma In Adults
It might be difficult to spot the indicators of suppressed childhood trauma in adults. Many of these symptoms are also associated with other mental health issues. These are the top 8 signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults.
1. Anxiety
In adulthood, trauma can lead to anxiety. Survivors of trauma are more likely to develop anxiety. Adrenaline is released as a result of anxiety. In stressful situations, adrenaline drives your body to go into fight or flight mode. Past abuse has been shown in traumatic stress studies to create significant anxiety in survivors.
Since anxiety is a part of our daily lives, it is crucial to understand whether it’s one of the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults or not. If acute anxiety is interfering with your daily life, seek treatment from a mental health expert.
2. Chronic Exhaustion
Many people affected by childhood trauma don’t realize that they are experiencing exhaustion due to the emotional and physical stress that their experiences have caused. The memory of a particular trauma can be triggered by an innocuous event and cause a person to feel sick, dizzy, or completely exhausted. This feeling can last for a few minutes, hours, or even days. The symptoms of chronic exhaustion may be similar to those of depression, but it is different from the feelings of sadness and hopelessness that are often associated with depression.
3. Immature Reactions
If you act immaturely or ‘childish’ on a regular basis, it could be a sign of something more serious. Child-like outbursts, talking with a childlike voice, and a stubborn attitude are examples of this. You may be struggling with repressed childhood memories if you have childish emotions. All of these recurring regressions indicate that you may have memories that have yet to be released.
4. Extreme Mood Swings
At the best of times, controlling one’s emotions is difficult. It’s a much more tough battle for people who have repressed childhood trauma. If you have unresolved issues, you may find that the everyday actions of others cause you great distress. All because of something relatively insignificant, you move from relaxed and at peace to filled with anger or anxiety. Often, this shift occurs because that seemingly little detail subconsciously reminds you of a suppressed childhood experience.
5. Certain Places Trigger Unease
Certain places might also trigger feelings of worry, anxiety, and panic in someone who is repressing childhood trauma memories. Being in a setting that reminds you of your repressed childhood traumatic memories may rekindle that stress and cause you discomfort. Even some smells, sounds, settings, images, or other senses can make you feel uneasy.
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6. Attachment Issues
People who have had a traumatic childhood often struggle with attachment issues. This can be due to the experience of abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence. These individuals often have difficulty trusting others and often feel like they are alone in the world. They may also have trouble regulating their emotions, which can lead to problems in relationships. This phenomenon is often referred to as traumatic attachment disorder or RAD. It is estimated that up to 50% of adults suffer from RAD, and it is more common in women than in men.
7. Strong Reactions To Some People
Have you ever met anyone who made you feel “odd” right away? This sensation could be a symptom of unresolved childhood trauma. Even if you don’t know the individual, your mind and body alert you that they aren’t trustworthy. This can result in your body may taking on a more protective posture, or you may feel compelled to flee the situation. But you’re stumped as to why. This emotion could be triggered by the fact that that individual reminds you of someone who has brought you pain in the past.
8. Coping Difficulties
There is a growing body of research that suggests that suppressed childhood trauma can lead to significant coping difficulties later in life. These difficulties can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, including difficulty regulating emotions, maintaining relationships, and managing stress. It is important for those who have experienced trauma to seek out support, as these difficulties can often be overcome with the help of a therapist.
Read about the causes of repressed childhood trauma.
Conclusion
Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are all symptoms of repressed childhood trauma. Trauma is the result of events that are life-threatening or terrifying and often leave lasting physical or emotional scars.
Childhood trauma can include abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence. The effects of repressed childhood trauma can be devastating, and many people don’t realize they have it until they become symptomatic. By being able to recognize the top 8 signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults, you’ll better be able to begin your journey towards healing.
If you feel that you may be dealing with repressed childhood trauma, we highly encourage you to seek the help of a therapist, either online or in person. My favorite option for online therapy is BetterHelp since they seem to have the most therapists and are typically cheaper than in-person therapy.
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