Trauma is talked about a lot these days. This hasn’t always been so. I can remember in the 1980s discussions about childhood trauma and the resistance of many people suddenly confronted by the prevalence of childhood trauma who felt threatened and resisted the truth.
For those who suffered trauma it was a relief to finally be able to have their trauma acknowledged and treated.
Trauma Is The Thief Of Peace
I have heard trauma described as a thief of peace. The depth of trauma leaving scars that seem to be eternal. Certainly those scars take a long time to deal with. For most people there will always be some vestiges of trauma left to heal throughout life.
Trauma Impacts Future Generations
With the acknowledgement of the existence and impacts of trauma, there has come a recognition that trauma impacts on future generations. This is not only because future generations may be impacted by parents, grandparents, even entire communities who are traumatised but also because of the way trauma alters the way your genes are expressed in your body. These changes are passed down to future generations.
Intergenerational trauma has been researched for many decades now and there is an increasing body of evidence that proves how trauma can travel biologically and psychologically through generations.
Epigenetics and Trauma
For the biological impacts, much research has focused on the field of epigenetics. This is not some futuristic science fiction story, but a genuine scientific field that studies how environmental factors, including trauma, can alter the way our genes are expressed. It doesn’t change our genetic code, but it does change how our DNA is activated and expressed in the body.
The Holocaust has been a strong starting point for research in this area. For a long time there has been an awareness of the difficulties holocaust survivors had raising children while struggling to cope with the trauma of their experiences. But more recent research has demonstrated that the children of Holocaust survivors have unique epigenetic markers that relate to the genes that govern the stress response.
Other research I have read looked at the impacts on the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors and found health impacts in this generation as well.
Trauma Can Reshape The Biological Inheritance Of Future Generations
Studies of more recent traumas, including 9/11 and modern day wars have looked at the children of women who experienced these trauma. These children have altered cortisol levels, which are indicators of stress. Their altered cortisol levels indicate a disruption in their stress regulation mechanisms.
Frighteningly, the research has shown that trauma can reshape the biological inheritance that is passed from one generation to the next.
More recent traumas, such as the Rwandan Genocide have been studied and descendants of these survivors have been found to suffer grief, anxiety and hypervigilance despite not having been alive at the time.
Community Trauma and Its Impacts
Another aspect of genocide is that is not only impacts individuals, but entire communities. When communities are destroyed or displaced cultural practices are disrupted, extended family bonds are broken, community identities are destroyed. This increases the impact of the trauma.
For communities programs to rebuild cultural heritage, preserve memories and rebuild community resilience are vital to reduce the impact of genocidal trauma on individuals within that community.
The Multi-Generational Impacts of Colonialisation On Indigenous Communities
What happens when the genocide happened historically, not recently? For many indigenous communities around the world who endured colonisation, including in Australia, massacres, removal from land, stealing of children, and destruction of culture, have left descendants with broken connections. And for many indigenous communities worldwide, the trauma continues today.
The same occurs with those who were stolen from their countries and removed to other countries as slaves.
For both types of community there is a biological trauma load embedded in the DNA of the entire community. The load of psychological trauma adds to the biological trauma.
The importance of culture and cultural practices
All cultures have rituals, but indigenous cultures tend to be more ritual centred. Rituals, storytelling and community support systems are really beneficial to assist in healing from and protecting against the impact of trauma.
The Physical Impacts of Trauma
So much of the discussions around trauma focuses on the psychological and behavioural impacts. But research has shown that trauma survivors have a greater incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. One of the best known research projects is the one that studied the impact adverse childhood experiences had on health outcomes in adulthood. This study resulted in the ACE score which measures the trauma in children and indicates the likelihood of adverse health outcomes in adulthood.
Cause For Hope
It is sobering to learn that trauma in previous generations may have impacted on your health and ability to manage stress. It is sobering to learn that trauma you have experienced may impact on the health and stress coping of your descendants. But there is always hope.
This research is in its infancy. It is possible that in time, with more research, ways to manage these changes will be found.
In the meantime, be aware of trauma impacts on you from your ancestors and trauma impacts on your descendants. Being aware is a way to be prepared to take action to manage those impacts.
Can I Help?
If you would like to talk to me about how I can help you with your trauma, please contact me on 0409396608 or nan@plentifullifecounselling.com.au
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