Health Matters 12/11: Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma
By Peter Maclearie, MSW, LCSW
Psychological trauma – emotional damage that occurs as a result of a distressing event or series of events – can be caused by many things, from a sudden, unexpected incident such as the loss of a loved one, to long-term exposure to abuse.
And while in some cases the origin of trauma may be obvious, in other instances it may stem from a concept called intergenerational trauma trauma that is passed down within family generations.
No matter the source, trauma can affect your ability to cope with stressful situations and increases the risk for behavioral health disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse.