No matter your age, or where you are in life, experiencing trauma can have a major impact on you, your self-esteem, and your ability to complete daily tasks and enjoy everyday life. The effects of trauma can easily outlast the event itself, lingering and appearing as stress, anger, depression, and other trauma responses years, decades, and even lifetimes later. Since trauma can happen to anyone of any age, it is hard to predict exactly what you might experience, and how it will affect you in the long run. 

At Whole Self Therapy, we help our clients address, assess, and heal from trauma, whether it has been plaguing you for years or the emotional wound is still fresh. Here, we are sharing a few quick facts about trauma, what it can look like at various stages of life, and how it can affect you at every age. With the help of a therapist, you can begin to explore and unpack your past and how it affects you today and start the journey of self-acceptance and healing. 

Childhood Trauma

Unpacking childhood trauma can feel like a daunting task, largely due to the amount of emotional and cognitive growth/change one undergoes between the ages of 1-13. Childhood trauma can permanently affect the brain, literally impacting how it forms and influencing emotional intelligence. While childhood trauma takes many forms, some examples of common traumatic childhood events include: 

• Extended separation from a parent/guardian 

• Abuse from a parent/guardian or adult/authority figure

• Bullying

• Chaotic or dysfunctional environments

• Death of a loved one

• Physical trauma/accidents

• Medical trauma

Common symptoms/responses to childhood trauma include:

• Trouble with emotional regulation

• Sudden mood swings

• Losing skills or regressing

• Attachment issues

• Anxiety, depression

Trauma In the Teen Years

Our teen years are some of our most important since it is between 13-19 where our brains are going through the largest amount of change - since we were babies, that is. A difficult and stressful time without outside influences, trauma as a teen can impact your first steps into adulthood. Some common traumatic experiences teens may encounter include:

• Emotional or physical neglect by a parent

• Sexual abuse or trauma

• Bullying/social isolation

• Extreme stress from major events (death, divorce, standardized tests, college applications)

• Illness 

• Car accidents

For teenagers, some common behavioral responses to trauma can include: 

• Withdrawing from friends/family

• Poor grades/loss of interest in school

• Extreme emotional reactions

• Self-harm and suicidal thoughts

Trauma In Adulthood

As we become adults, we are often forced to face the world and all of its challenges, whether we feel prepared or not. “Adulting” is hard, and you would be hard-pressed to find an adult who won't agree that they struggle to get everything done. In addition to working, paying bills, and managing your health, adulthood has plenty of natural stressors, including common traumatic events like: 

• Educational trauma

• Abusive partners

• Financial trauma

• Job loss

• Major life shift/changes

When adults experience trauma, they may express some of the following behaviors: 

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Poor emotional regulation

• Irritability

Trauma Among Seniors

Unfortunately, many seniors struggle with their mental health, often due to untreated trauma from their past, or struggles to adjust to the present. Senior citizens can also experience new trauma, though there isn’t much information out there about trauma late in life. Some examples of trauma seniors may experience include: 

• Medical trauma/malpractice

• Neglect

• Isolation

• Death of friends and family

• Financial abuse

Seniors that have experienced trauma display many of the same behaviors shown by younger individuals. Depression, anxiety, irritability, and more can appear at any time as a result of long-lasting trauma, though these symptoms can also be triggered by late-life mental health conditions. 

Treatment for Trauma at Any Age

People can experience trauma at any time, but thankfully research shows that we are always oriented towards healing and self-righting, which means healing can happen at any age, as well! At Whole Self Therapy, we treat patients from every walk of life and at every stage in life. Whether you want help unpacking and resolving old pain, or need to work through something that happened recently, count on our team of dedicated therapists to help guide you through.