The Impact of Generational Trauma on Mental Health and Relationships

Physical traits, personality types, and even certain habits and behaviors can be passed on through families. These tend to include things like hair and eye color, height, and other physical characteristics.

Something not as widely talked about that can be passed on from generation to generation is trauma. Generational trauma can affect a person significantly.

Let’s learn more about the impact of generational trauma on mental health and relationships.

What Is Generational Trauma?

Generational trauma, intergenerational trauma, or transgenerational trauma are terms used to describe trauma that extends from one generation to the next. This type of trauma is often persistent and consistent over several years and even within generations of a family. Generational trauma can be experienced by one family member. It can also be experienced as a whole within a large community, cultural group, ethnic group, or racial group.

The Impact of Generational Trauma on Mental Health

Generational trauma can take a toll on one’s mental health. When generational trauma is evident in a person’s life, they may be more susceptible to other mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here are some of the other ways that generational trauma can affect a person’s mental health:

• • Emotional dysregulation
  • Hypervigilance
  • Increased risk of mental health conditions
  • Low self-esteem
  • Substance use or abuse
  • Unhealthy coping mechanisms

The Impact of Generational Trauma on Relationships

Generational trauma doesn’t just stop at one’s mental health. This type of trauma can extend into someone’s relationships, too. Children are constantly observing and noting how their primary caregivers act and behave. They’ll start to develop their own actions and behaviors by mimicking what they’re witnessing. Due to this, an insecure or unhealthy attachment style is likely to be formed.

Generational trauma that is left unresolved can lead to long-lasting issues in relationship building. These are some of the most common ways that generational trauma can affect relationships:

• • Avoidance
  • Codependency
  • Communication struggles
  • Difficulty building trust
  • Dysfunctional relationship patterns
  • Emotional dysregulation
  • Increased sensitivity to stressors
  • Insecure attachment styles
  • Lack of boundaries
  • Lack of intimacy
  • Reactivity

How to Break Free From Generational Trauma

Living with trauma can be difficult to break free from, but it is possible. Overcoming a traumatic event, especially something like a generational trauma, didn’t occur within a short period, so overcoming it will take some time. Here are some of the different ways that you can work to break free from generational trauma.

Give Yourself Grace

First things first, it’s important to give yourself enough time to heal. Give yourself grace during this time. You can’t just circle a date on a calendar months from now and expect to be back to one hundred percent again. Recovery and healing aren’t predictable. The healing journey is unique to each person. There isn’t necessarily a right or a wrong way to heal. Take the time to do what feels right for you, depending on your wants and needs.

Practice Self-Care

When you’re not feeling your best, it can become even more challenging to cope with any stressors that life throws your way. Self-care may be one of the last things on your list, but it’s important to try to implement this to help you feel better again from the inside out.

Practicing self-care can help you take care of your overall mental health and wellness, increase your resilience, and improve your self-esteem. Taking care of yourself means doing things that benefit you, like eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each night, journaling, or reaching out to a loved one for additional support.

Seek Additional Support

An outside third party can help provide a secure space for you to share your thoughts and feelings. A mental health professional can help you learn more about your generational trauma and plan healthier ways to move forward. Reach out today to learn more about trauma counseling and how additional support can help you.