#Intergenerational trauma abuse how to

Survivors of trauma who can recognize the abuse they’ve endured and change these toxic patterns may be the best hope for altering the chronic harmful behaviors that persist among generations. Often, building resilience is an important factor in breaking the trauma cycle. Informing families of how trauma is transmitted across generations and what behaviors may be prevalent among families that endure intergenerational trauma may help reduce the shame that family members feel and encourage them to seek help. Families that endure trauma may not realize what behaviors are toxic and have most likely normalized these behaviors because they were not given the tools to perceive an alternative reality in which healthy relationships exist. Stopping the transmission of intergenerational trauma may first require an understanding for what intergenerational trauma is.

#Intergenerational trauma abuse how to

How to Stop the Transmission of Intergenerational Trauma? A holistic approach to healing, in which individuals can find ways to cope, process, and accept the unfortunate circumstances they were dealt with, is often considered the best treatment method. Interventions such as psychotherapy are ideal for promoting healing and change in the unhealthy behaviors that sustain the cycle of trauma.

While there is no “one size fits all” method of treating intergenerational trauma, stopping the cycle of trauma is the first step. Victims of familial abuse may stay silent for fear of speaking out and of outside world perceptions, causing difficulty in healing from the abuse and sustaining the history of trauma in future generations. Families that hide sexual, physical, and emotional abuse make victims feel isolated and at fault for the harm they endure within their family environment. Normalization of toxic behaviors in families can also be due to a high amount of shame and secrecy, which discourages the possibility of outside help in breaking the cycle of trauma. Family environments that normalize various forms of abuse and do not allow for a healthy change to occur promote the pattern of instability and unhealthy relationships to be passed down over generations.

Intergenerational trauma impacts families when unhealthy behaviors are never recognized or stopped and continue to be passed down within each familial generation. How Does Intergenerational Trauma Impact Families? Dementia is also a higher risk for those who experience intergenerational trauma since trauma influences neurological functioning in the brain. Intergenerational trauma can also lead to a dysfunctional immune system, contributing to the development of autoimmune diseases.

Issues with self-esteem and self-confidence.

Gayani DeSilva, MD, an adolescent psychiatrist, reports that intergenerational trauma symptoms may include:

Intergenerational trauma can present in a wide array of symptoms.