We are all familiar with the concept of trauma and how living through something tragic can significantly affect our lives. The concept of PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has been popularised through movies about war veterans and abuse survivors, and there is greater empathy now for those who undergo such life experiences. But how widespread are the effects of trauma?

Intergenerational trauma, or Multigenerational/Transgenerational trauma, refers to the transmission of distress through families, to members who might have never been exposed to the source of trauma. This impacts their upbringings and affects them on a personal level as well, making them more vulnerable to developing trauma from their own life experiences.

The study of this concept arose with the discussion of Holocaust survivors, indigenous people, and those subjugated to slavery, where the residual effects of their experiences were seen even three generations later. The experiences and memories were found to become a part of the cultural transmission of the community, being passed down from parent to child.

Symptoms of trauma include:

  • Repetitive, intrusive thoughts about the incident/ Flashbacks

  • Emotional detachment/numbness

  • Sudden outbursts of anger/emotions

  • Sleep disturbances

  • Easily startled

  • Avoidance of triggers

  • Physical distress

People’s behavior and personalities can change following traumatic experiences, and they might find it harder to enjoy things they did before, further retreating from social situations. Their relationships can become severely affected as they struggle to focus on life experiences without the fear component interfering. Their parenting skills might be affected and their ability to form attachments or show affection might also be disturbed.

In severe cases, where the trauma becomes multigenerational, the effect of disturbed parenting might be repeated with their children, resulting in unsatisfied emotional needs in the child. Patterns of behavior they observe in their parents and grandparents might be later practiced by the child as well. They can develop problems such as anger issues, disinterest in daily living, anxiety, inhibited opportunity-seeking, etc.

Trauma affects more than just the individual who experiences it and seeking treatment to prevent its transmission is the most effective way of breaking the cycle. By addressing the issues at the source, we can curb the problem and provide the family with a more well-balanced upbringing. Eliminating the fear of therapy or the fear of confronting the problem can not only improve the quality of life for the person who has experienced a major life tragedy, but also the lives of those they come in contact with as well!

Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.

About MindTribe.in.

MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.

About the Author.

Anuradha Mukherjee is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.

Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.