Trauma, as most people understand it, occurs when an individual experiences something traumatic. It probably seems obvious that traumatic experiences result in trauma, but did you know that trauma can impact multiple generations of individuals? Intergenerational trauma is just that: trauma that extends beyond personal experience to affect your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, and beyond. 

Intergenerational transmission of trauma is never purposeful, though many individuals suffering from intergenerational trauma may experience feelings of guilt or shame. Before we dive into more details of intergenerational trauma, we want to begin with an important reminder: it is not your fault. You deserve to heal from the trauma you have experienced and to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma for yourself, your family, and the memory of your ancestors. 

What Is Intergenerational Trauma?

Intergenerational trauma is exactly what it sounds like: trauma that affects more than just a single individual, and can extend beyond a single generation. The first formal documentation of intergenerational trauma was recorded in 1966 by Canadian psychiatrist Vivian M. Rakoff, MD, and a group of colleagues who had assessed a group of children of Holocaust survivors. Rakoff found that the individuals included in the study, who had not personally experienced the Holocaust, experienced elevated levels of distress, depression, and anxiety.

Intergenerational trauma doesn’t just impact children of traumatized people, it can extend for generations over hundreds of years. Communities of individuals who have faced violence, displacement, prejudice, and pain have been discussing the long-term effects of trauma on their people for years. Today, mental health experts are just beginning to understand the complexity of intergenerational trauma and learning to help individuals experiencing the effects of their ancestors’ experiences. 

For people affected by intergenerational trauma, working with a therapist can help you to begin working through the pain. Not only can you work to heal yourself and lead a happier, less burdensome life, you can also work to break the cycle for future generations. Parents and grandparents can find healthy ways of coping and fulfilling their own needs, thereby creating a happier life for their children and grandchildren. 

How Is Trauma Passed On?

If it seems strange that someone could be suffering from the trauma their parents or grandparents experienced, consider this scenario:

Maiv was born in Laos, where she spent the first 15 years of her life living with her family on their modest farm, attending school with the friends she had had since she was a baby, and enjoying life in her community. In the ’70s, as Cold War panic rose, the Hmong people of Laos faced persecution from a strict and sometimes violent government, forcing them to flee their homeland as refugees. 

Maiv arrived in the Midwest in 1976 and was immediately enrolled in a local high school where she was the first Hmong person to ever attend. Curious stares, judgemental whispers, and outright aggressive and xenophobic remarks followed Maiv through the halls of her high school, and even her neighbors gave her and her family a chilly reception. Homesick and beginning to experience symptoms of PTSD resulting from the violence she had witnessed in her last months in Laos, Maiv nevertheless pushed forward and attended university to become a certified nurse practitioner. 

A few years into her career, Maiv met a fellow nurse named Michael, and the two fell madly in love. The lingering feelings of pain and trauma still surfaced for Maiv now and then, but her busy schedule working in the hospital, dating Michael, and caring for her now elderly parents kept her busy. When Maiv and Michael got married, the flurry of stress began to bring up old feelings of homesickness in Maiv, but she again pushed them down in favor of enjoying her wedding. Just months after they said “I do,” Maiv got pregnant, and the happy couple began preparing to welcome their first child. 

During Maiv’s pregnancy, her mother, unfortunately, fell ill. Maiv, an experienced nurse with more than 15 years in a hospital, decided to take some time away from her job to take on caregiving for her mother while she was pregnant. Sadly, Maiv’s mother passed on just a few weeks before Maiv’s daughter, Sylvia, was born. Once again, Maiv was faced with conflicting emotions, both overwhelmed with grief and with joy. 

To avoid sinking into the dark depths of her traumatic past and pain, Maiv kept pushing and returned to pouring herself into work. Long hours meant little time with Sylvia, who quickly grew from bouncing baby into an irritable pre-teen before Maiv’s eyes. Not having learned to talk to her parents about her pain, stress, and trauma-related to leaving Laos, Maiv shied away from Sylvia’s emotional outbursts. As Sylvia grew, she began to share less and less, and rarely participated in family activities. 

Sylvia began showing the same control issues that had plagued Maiv for her entire life. Although Sylvia had never been forcibly plucked from her childhood home, she was often on guard and regularly spoke of preparing to move out as soon as possible. While Sylvia attended a diverse high school where she was by no means the only Hmong student, she sometimes expressed distaste for the occasional Hmong dishes her mom would prepare and could be heard bemoaning the looks she got when she brought traditional foods for lunch. Although Sylvia had never seen violence, she became anxious, hypervigilant, and extremely protective of her time. 

Sylvia was displaying all of the same trauma symptoms Maiv experienced, despite having had a completely different childhood than her mother. Michael eventually became concerned for his wife and his daughter and suggested to Maiv that she might look into therapy. Desperate to connect with her daughter, Maiv took the steps and found a therapist she connected with, and began unpacking the stress and trauma of her childhood. 

Maiv learned about herself: how her refugee status had impacted her feeling of control and safety. How her experience as one of the only BIPOC students at her school had affected her self-image. How her years of over-extending herself had been convenient methods of avoiding unpacking these very feelings. During her time with a therapist, Maiv even discovered that her mother may have suffered from the very same trauma she was experiencing now. Maiv wasn’t the first link in the chain, her trauma was inherited. 

As Maiv learned more about herself and began healing from her trauma, she found herself engaging more with Maiv. Rather than diving into work when her teenage daughter didn’t feel like talking to or confiding in her, Maiv redirected her stress into more constructive and enjoyable hobbies. As a result, Maiv started coming out of her room more and showing interest in some of the things Maiv was doing. By learning how to talk openly about her feelings, Maiv noticed that Sylvia had started following her example, and had begun talking about how she felt and asking questions about her Hmong heritage. 

Trauma isn’t the only thing that can be passed down, healing can too. Because Maiv took the steps to learn about herself and unpack her complicated feelings surrounding trauma, she gave her daughter a chance to do the same. Sylvia now has a daughter too, also named Maiv. Baby Maiv is already excellent at sharing her feelings thanks to her amazing mama and grandmother who worked so hard to break the cycle. 

What Kind of Trauma Can Be Passed On?

Intergenerational trauma is a complex thing and can come in many different forms and from different sources. Often, intergenerational trauma is the result of trauma that affects the parent or grandparent’s ability to grow and become a confident, secure individual. When someone experiences unresolved trauma, it affects every part of their life. Unresolved trauma can make it difficult to communicate and make relationships, can affect decision-making and job performance, and can result in long-term mental health problems. Some of the types of trauma that can be intergenerationally transmitted include: 

Historical Trauma

Historical trauma refers to trauma that has occurred to generations of ancestors or a catastrophic trauma that occurs to a community or cultural group. Ancestors of survivors of American Slavery, the Holocaust, Residential Schools in Canada and the U.S., Japanese internment camps, and other mass atrocities are commonly cited as individuals who may suffer from intergenerational trauma. The racism that Black people face every day and have faced for more than 400 years is yet another commonly cited trauma that has affected generations of families. Historical trauma is extremely hard to escape since people’s lives are often irreparably changed after these events. 

Displacement & Poverty

Individuals whose ancestors have been displaced from their homelands or have experienced extended poverty are also common sufferers of intergenerational trauma. Losing a connection to your homeland, your native foods, your friends, family, and your culture can be extremely traumatic, and many refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, and their families suffer from depression and anxiety. 

Childhood Neglect & Abuse

When someone’s parent or grandparent has suffered childhood neglect or abuse, their trauma is often passed on. Neglect and abuse can result in feelings of inadequacy, difficulty developing close or healthy relationships, and trouble in adulthood. Some individuals may struggle to keep a job or find one that accommodates their needs. Others may turn to unhealthy methods of coping to substitute the healing they so desperately need, which can also impact their children. While people who have experienced abuse can be amazing parents, those whose trauma is unresolved often bleed over into their parenting, whether they mean for it to or not. 

Substance Abuse

If you’ve ever been told to be careful with alcohol or drugs because one of your parents or grandparents struggled with substance abuse, this is because it can affect multiple generations of your family. While addiction isn’t necessarily genetic, alcoholism and drug abuse can result in extended anxiety, trauma, and depression in future generations. In some cases, descendants of addicts may be more likely to develop dependencies.

How To Stop the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma: Changing Your Legacy

The trauma of your ancestors doesn’t have to haunt you or your family, you have the power to break the cycle. With the compassionate guidance of a therapist, you can investigate what your ancestors might have experienced, what that meant for their mental health, and what it means for you and your life. You don’t have to grin and bear it - you can take control of your life and the trajectory of your legacy. 

If you are ready to begin unpacking your trauma, get in touch with All of You Therapy today. Our compassionate and experienced team is here to help you discover yourself.