June is PTSD Awareness Month, a time to shed light on the far-reaching effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and the importance of compassionate, effective treatment. While media depictions make PTSD seem like something that only happens to combat veterans or adults who’ve experienced a single traumatic event like a car accident, it can also begin in childhood – sometimes in ways that don’t become clear until years later.
At Hope by the Sea, we specialize in treating dual diagnoses – simultaneously addressing co-occurring mental health disorders and addiction. Understanding how childhood trauma shapes adult lives is part of how we help our clients heal from the inside out.
How Childhood PTSD Develops
Childhood PTSD can result from a single traumatic event – like a home break-in or natural disaster – but it often stems from chronic or repeated trauma. Adverse childhood experiences are a term used to describe these ongoing stressors, including:
- Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
- Bullying, harassment or social exclusion
- Frequent relocations, such as switching schools due to a parent’s military service
- Witnessing domestic violence
- Parental divorce or the loss of a caregiver
- Living with a parent who struggles with addiction or mental illness
Children are especially vulnerable because they often lack the coping skills, context and maturity needed to process these experiences. Left untreated, childhood PTSD can cast a long shadow – affecting your emotional regulation, relationships and even physical health.
Childhood PTSD Symptoms That Can Appear in Adults
Unaddressed trauma effectively becomes “stuck” in your brain and body, where it can linger for years. Even if you are not consciously aware of having childhood PTSD, you may experience symptoms like these.
- Anxiety or frequent panic attacks
- Feelings of worthlessness or low self-esteem
- Intense anger or irritability
- Dissociation or detachment from others
- Hypervigilance, or an inability to relax
- Intrusive memories, nightmares or flashbacks
- Avoiding people, places or activities that remind you of your trauma
- Difficulty trusting others, leading to relationship struggles
- Compulsive behaviors or risk-taking to cope
- Numbing pain with substance abuse
- Insomnia or disturbed sleep
- Chronic pain, such as headaches or stomachaches
- Fatigue and low energy
PTSD and Its Overlap With Other Mental Health Issues
Trauma rarely exists in a vacuum. Adults with unresolved childhood PTSD often experience co-occurring mental health conditions, such as:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression and mood disorders
- Personality disorders
- Substance use disorders
The link between trauma and addiction is particularly robust. Many people turn to alcohol or drugs to manage the intense emotions and memories that accompany PTSD. While substances may provide a temporary escape, they’ll also worsen your mental health over time – creating a cycle of dependence that’s hard to break without professional help.
Resolving the Long-Term Impact of Early Trauma
Many adults with childhood PTSD don’t connect their challenges with mood, relationships or addiction to traumatic events that happened years or decades earlier. That’s why working with a professional therapist to unpack and process your experiences can prove so valuable.
At Hope by the Sea, we understand the profound impact that childhood trauma can have on adult lives. As a dual-diagnosis treatment center in California, we provide comprehensive, evidence-based care that addresses both PTSD and any co-occurring addiction or mental health concerns.
Our programs include:
- Trauma-informed therapy to help you process and heal from childhood wounds
- Individual therapy to build your self-esteem and develop healthier coping skills
- Group therapy to reduce isolation and build supportive relationships
- Family therapy to address intergenerational trauma and repair strained relationships
Our team will personalize a treatment plan that honors your unique experiences and empowers you to reclaim your life, free from the weight of your past. Call us today to learn more.
