Intergenerational Trauma
Defining and understanding Intergenerational Trauma
Intergenerational trauma, also known as transgenerational, multigenerational, or inherited trauma, refers to trauma that is transmitted across generations. A traumatic event can impact multiple generations, affecting the descendants of the original trauma survivor, even if they do not directly experience the initial cause of the trauma.
What Causes Intergenerational Trauma?
Intergenerational trauma can arise from various circumstances or events, including racial trauma, systemic oppression, family separation, or the experience or observation of abuse. Such trauma can influence an individual's relationship skills, personal behavior, and attitudes and beliefs, subsequently affecting their interactions with future generations. This, in turn, can shape the relationship skills, behaviors, and attitudes and beliefs of those future generations.
Symptoms of Intergenerational Trauma
Many and varied symptoms of intergenerational trauma exist, including the following:
A lack of trust in others and an inability to connect with others and form meaningful relationships
Anger and irritability; anger may be expressed as violence
Physical symptoms such as chronic pain, heart disease and diabetes
Nightmares and sleep difficulties
Fearfulness, anxiety and hyper-vigilance
Emotional numbness and depersonalisation
A deep sense of shame and vulnerability
Unresolved and complicated grief
Isolation and withdrawal
Memory loss
Substance abuse
Persistent feelings of hopelessness
Recurring thoughts of death, dying or suicide
School-aged children may experience the following symptoms:
Poor academic performance
Poor attendance
Drop out
Issues with bullying or being bullied
An inability to display respect towards teachers
Violent or disruptive behaviour
Types of Intergenerational Trauma therapy
Narrative exposure therapy: Focuses on treating clients who have experienced complex or multiple traumatic experiences. The goal of this therapy is to help clients reframe the traumatic event in a manner that allows them to decrease the negative impact it has on their lives.
The intergenerational trauma treatment model: It is a time-limited treatment program that is focused on treating a child patient and includes involvement from their caregiver(s). This model evaluates and resolves issues that the caregiver may be experiencing and focuses on increasing.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy: It teaches clients to learn coping skills to deal with stressors, develop relaxation techniques, create and process trauma narratives, and manage behaviors that could be detrimental to overall mental health.
Family therapy: Due to the complex nature of intergenerational trauma, family therapy can be a helpful way to process the overall story of trauma. Having multiple family members and generations present (if possible) can create a clearer picture of the different ways trauma has been passed down.
Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma
Be open about past trauma: By beginning conversations with family, friends and community members without being ashamed to admit that it happened and had an impact on them.
Identify and discuss traumatic events: If it feels safe enough to do so (and preferably with professional trauma-informed support), pinpointing events and circumstances that caused trauma rather than relying on generalisations can be beneficial.
Seek professional help: There are many professionals in the community that can support trauma survivors. It is important to find individuals and organisations who are trauma-informed for the best outcomes.
