Breaking Barriers: Overcoming Stigma and Shame Surrounding Childhood Trauma

According to a study shared by McMaster Students, 3 out of 5 Canadian adults aged 45 to 85 have been exposed to “adverse childhood experiences,” including abuse, neglect, intimate partner violence, or other household adversity. As childhood trauma explores a variety of areas, it mustn’t be shamed or stigmatized, as a lot of people face this trauma.

Childhood trauma affects one individually, socially, and interpersonally. It further affects one when they go into adulthood by causing issues of trust and, in turn, developing anxiety, stress, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other related disorders. Open communication is important to create safe spaces for those who have experienced trauma to not feel judged.

As shared by Rankin (2021), these studies at McMaster showed more prevalence of younger adults sharing their trauma and narrative with others (65 and below) rather than older adults due to the hypothesis that older adults find disclosing childhood abuse to be stigmatizing. How is it possible to get individuals to open up? Throughout this article, breaking the barriers on the ideas of stigma and shame of childhood trauma will be explored.

What is Childhood Trauma?

Childhood trauma has been described as a “hidden wound” developed through physical, psychological, sexual, or emotional abuse that continuously negatively affects the lives of victims for decades. It causes PTSD, depression, and maladaptive coping in childhood and further into adulthood as well.

What is Stigma?

Stigma is when an individual negatively sees you because of a particular attribute or characteristic. This negative way of thinking can cause internalization for someone who struggles with childhood trauma and can eventually create self-loathing or cause an individual to blame themselves for their trauma, creating shame and avoidance of help for many trauma survivors.

What is Shame?

Shame is looked at as a dishonorable attribute of a person, action, or situation or feelings of embarrassment and/or humiliation. This can create negative beliefs from those who have endured childhood trauma, and cause one to think they are “damaged,”  helpless, or a failure.

As shame and stigma are prevalent in mental health and trauma, many societal beliefs indulge in the misconceptions of childhood trauma. This continues the narrative that childhood trauma should not be talked about; however, these narratives need to be told to encourage healing and support. The non-disclosure or shame can contribute to the negative well-being of individuals and create greater risks for mental disorders.

Common Misconceptions of Childhood Trauma:

1.     It does not happen to a lot of people: This misconception that childhood trauma is rare is not true, as experiences such as physical, emotional, and mental abuse are more common than people think.

2.     It is easy to “get over.”  Although children show resilience, childhood trauma has a lasting impact on many areas, such as their mental health, emotional health, physical well-being, as well as psychological well-being.

3.     It is something you can outgrow: If childhood trauma persists, it can affect areas of growth, physically, mentally, and emotionally. This can affect relationships and many areas that

4.     It only affects those from a lower socio-economic status or population: This information is false, as childhood trauma can affect anybody. This misconception does not allow for conversation or healing, as it creates the idea that trauma is uncommon or is only observed in those of a certain population or culture, when in fact, trauma can be observed in many various populations.

5.     It is caused by a child’s parents: Childhood trauma is not the fault of the parents, but parents or parental figures can be one source of trauma. Many sources play a hand in trauma, including a child’s environment, abuse, neglect, physical, mental, or emotional abuse from various sources, as well as society’s influences.

6.     It is exaggerated by children: When this misconception is represented by a parent or someone close to that, it can be costly to that child’s mental health. This can create mistrust, feelings of low self-worth, and inconsistency.

Shame and Stigma related to Childhood Trauma

As a result of shame and fear of stigma, victims of childhood trauma prevent the disclosure of their trauma and avoid getting help (Schomerus et al, 2021). Children who have experienced trauma may be more likely to suffer mental health consequences due to this stigma. Some individuals believe that childhood trauma is something you have to “get over.” However, trauma affects people in many ways for many years if they do not heal their wounds. There are long-lasting effects that individuals with childhood trauma face.

Impact of Childhood Trauma

People who face childhood trauma are affected physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can create a higher risk of physical health issues, including diabetes, strokes, heart issues, autoimmune disorders, and asthma. Mentally, children are impacted by trauma through depression, stress, anger issues, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can then turn into adult PTSD. These mental health issues are more prevalent with childhood trauma and those who have difficulty processing this trauma. Emotionally, children could face issues with understanding their emotions and attachment, which could cause issues in later relationships. This could then lead to victimization or a cycle of abuse throughout the individual’s life.

The impact of stigmatization and shame surrounding childhood trauma

1.     Keeping quiet about the trauma: Fear of judgment can create an impact on the silencing or fear of opening up, which can create mental health issues greater stress, anxiety, or fear, which can later cause negative mental wellness.

2.     Detrimental to Identity: Those who face childhood trauma can be impacted physically, emotionally, socially, or behaviourally affecting their entire identity.

a.     Physical: Childhood trauma can create chronic stress that develops an increased inclination toward medical illnesses and physical health problems.

b.     Emotional: The shame and stigma associated with childhood trauma can increase feelings of worthlessness, self-blame, and low self-esteem, which may cause internalized negative beliefs about themselves and then lead to depression or anxiety.

c.     Social: Due to fear and judgement, people who face childhood trauma avoid triggers or situations where their trauma could be exposed; they may isolate themselves, leading to feelings of loneliness and alienation, and unhealthy relationships with others.

d.     Behavioural: As a form of numbing the pain of their trauma and escaping the stigma that comes with it, people who have childhood trauma are more likely to have disordered eating, abuse substances, or self-harm.

3.     Impact on Work or School: The effects of childhood trauma can negatively affect cognitive functioning and academic performance, affecting both educational goals and career prospects. In school or work settings, stigma surrounding mental health issues may also discourage childhood trauma survivors from seeking help.

4.     Cycles of abuse: Victims of childhood abuse suffering from shame and stigma may be unable to set boundaries or advocate for themselves in relationships, which can create family dysfunction or cycles of abuse within differing relationships i.e., parental, spousal, or friend relationships.

5.     Impact on seeking professional help – Out of the fear of judgement as well as the assumption that childhood trauma survivors are “permanently harmed” by trauma, this can affect reaching out to professionals.

How do you break this stigma and shame?

Breaking the barriers of stigma and shame surrounding childhood trauma can be healed through 3 systems. This includes:

1.     The individual level

2.     The interpersonal level

3.     The societal level

The individual level

The individual level looks at how the individual is depicted. They could feel this inherent shame, and understanding the negative impact is crucial to helping the individual get out of this mindset. Individuals who experience childhood trauma experience anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, and social exclusion.

The interpersonal level

Interpersonal relationships are compromised by a person who has experienced childhood trauma, as there is a reluctance to trust or be open with others. It is important to make an individual who has experienced childhood trauma feel safe and listen to their narratives non-judgementally. It is shown that interpersonal issues are more likely to be present in adults who have experienced childhood trauma and are more likely to develop anxiety, depression, and PTSD later in life.

The Societal Level

Society looks down upon individuals who face childhood trauma. Social exclusion is shown to affect individuals who face childhood trauma as they grow into adults more prominently. It is important in society to form a supportive community for those facing struggles and challenges with trauma to help minimize the shame and stigma of trauma.

As society is so diverse in Canada, culture plays a big role in the stigmatization of both mental health and childhood trauma. Shame and stigma from these cultural ideas create “discreditation” of the individual and lead to poorer mental health outcomes for those who face childhood trauma.

These three areas are the main focus of how childhood trauma can be seen in a negative light. These need to be looked into, to break the shame and stigma correlated to each section that affects an individual’s life.  Many areas can help an individual heal and cope with all the effects of trauma to minimize the stigma and shame construed.

Steps to help minimize the shame and stigma of childhood trauma

  1.  Addressing common misconceptions: Understanding childhood trauma and its effects can help reduce stigma. Through campaigns, educational programs, and media initiatives, accurate information about the prevalence and impact of trauma can be provided.
  2. Creating a supportive environment: By approaching childhood trauma survivors with empathy and compassion, can help create a safe space for individuals to feel safe and not feel judged by diverse identities as well as diverse narratives.
  3. Trauma-Informed Care: Trauma-informed care can help ensure that survivors receive compassionate and understanding support across various settings, including healthcare, education, and social services. Safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment are priorities of trauma-informed approaches.
  4. Self-Care & Support: By engaging those who face childhood trauma in self-care and healing practices, shame can be reduced and resilience can be increased. Among these options are therapy, mindfulness, relaxation, creative expression, and peer support.
  5. Encouraging Disclosure and Seeking Professional Help: Encouraging individuals to disclose their experiences and seek help when needed is essential in reducing shame and stigma. This involves creating an environment where survivors feel believed, supported, and empowered to access the resources and support they need for healing and recovery.

Parting Notes

At Insight Clinic, we have many therapists who can help with stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and many other areas that were described throughout this article.

You can reach out today to book an appointment with our skilled and trained therapists to help you gain understanding and develop healthy coping strategies when you are feeling stressed, depressed, or anxious.

At the Insight Clinic, some counsellors also provide trauma-informed approaches. EMDR, TF-CBT and Cognitive Processing Therapy are all trauma-focused approaches that are beneficial to children or adults who have experienced trauma.  Feel free to reach out today. If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, please reach out to the police (911) or go to your local hospital.

Childhood Trauma

Getting Help at The Insight Clinic

Getting Help at The Insight Clinic

Getting Help at The Insight Clinic

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