The Importance of Understanding Childhood Trauma

To: Long Beach Patch Editor

Dear Editor:

Imagine a 5-year-old little girl - sitting in a chair as she watched her Mom walk out the door of her family’s life, while her Dad paced the floor in tears – a little girl who didn't know what to do, except offer her distraught dad a tissue to dry his tear-filled eyes. A life changing event that would become a defining childhood trauma and one that would subconsciously make itself known throughout this child's life. I know ... because I was that child and why understanding the dynamics of childhood trauma and how it impacts upon our lives is a topic of deep personal interest to me.

As I researched this topic, it was validated that one of the greatest challenges in understanding mental health is to understand the unique interplay and timing of risk factors ranging from biological to environmental and how they operate in tandem to confer either positive or negative outcomes for children, adolescents and into adulthood.

I also discovered an overwhelming amount of data that supports how "unresolved adverse childhood experiences" can impact upon a child's rapidly developing brain, impair immune system responses and future quality of life. Clear-cut information that leaves me to ask, "why isn't childhood trauma being addressed as a nationwide priority!" After all, research is clear in stating that when a child is exposed to chronic stressful events, their neurodevelopment can be disrupted. As a result, the child’s cognitive functioning or ability to cope with negative or disruptive emotions may be impaired. Over time, and often during adolescence, the child may adopt negative coping mechanisms, such as substance use or self-harm. Eventually, these unhealthy coping mechanisms can contribute to disease, disability, and social problems, as well as premature mortality. Confirmation, that early childhood trauma needs to be addressed at the time of trauma as this will support the child’s recovery and ability in developing a healthier adult life.

Psychiatrist and traumatic stress expert, Bessel van der Kolk, states that negative childhood experiences can set our brains to constantly feel danger and fear. Examples of childhood trauma are: abuse or neglect, domestic violence, growing up with parent who has a substance use disorder, mental illness or imprisonment, as well as parental death, separation or divorce. Some typical long-term effects of “untreated” childhood trauma can include:

· Depression

· Low self esteem

· Anxiety disorders

· Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

· Substance abuse and addiction

· Alcoholism

· High risk, destructive behaviors

· Early Death

· Suicide

· Dropping out of school

· Problems with interpersonal relationships

· Marital difficulties

· Difficulty trusting others

Problems in a career or at work

Bottom line, the results of the A.C.E. Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences) strongly suggest that billions of dollars are spent everywhere except on the “solution”. The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and their long-term effects are clearly a major determinant of the health and social well-being of the nation. This is true whether looked at from the standpoint of social costs, the economics of health care, the quality of human existence, the focus of medical treatment, or the effects of public policy. The ACE Study demonstrates dramatically that if we engage America in the protection and nurturing of its children, these serious and prevalent health and social problems will be significantly reduced; and I, for one, agree! We must become proactive in creating trauma awareness, as well as accessible and affordable mental health services for our children, as their future quality of life, as well as the generations that follow depends upon it! And yes, prevention is key … and recovery is absolutely possible!