childhood trauma for little boy

How Childhood Trauma Can Impact Adult Relationships

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If you experienced trauma in your early years of life, it’s almost certain that it shaped who you are today. Childhood trauma comes in many forms and can range from physical abuse to a natural disaster to the loss of a loved one. 

But childhood trauma doesn’t stay in childhood. It often goes on to affect your adult relationships. Maybe you have a difficult time dealing with conflict, or perhaps you have a fear of abandonment. While these feelings can be normal after trauma, they don’t have to be permanent. You can heal. 

Let’s look deeper at how childhood trauma can impact your adult relationships and what you can do to work on healing. 

How a Rough Childhood Can Affect Relationships 

Trauma is more common than we realize. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 78 percent of children have more than one traumatic experience before the age of 5. Childhood trauma can impact relationships because it’s during childhood that we learn about emotional bonds. 

Here are some of the ways that childhood trauma can cause relationship problems: 

Attachment styles

Your early life helped show you what the world is like. Is it a scary, overwhelming place? Is it safe and secure? Or is it somewhere in between? 

Your attachment style is influenced by how you see the world. If you’re secure, you should have no problem establishing close relationships with others. However, if you’re more anxious about the world, you may be afraid of abandonment and crave constant reassurance. 

The different attachment styles include: 

  • Secure 
  • Anxious or anxious preoccupied 
  • Dismissive avoidant
  • Fearful avoidant 

Problems with trust 

If you had negative experiences in early childhood, you may find it hard to trust people. You might also doubt that your partner loves you, even when they show that they do. 

Lack of communication 

Childhood trauma also affects how you communicate as an adult. At home, do you tend to yell at your partner? Do you have trouble expressing your emotions? Some of the most common harmful communication styles include passive, passive-aggressive and aggressive. 

Mental health 

Research shows a link between childhood trauma and mental illness. If you believe that you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, it’s important to speak to a mental health counselor for a diagnosis. 

Ways to Work through Childhood Trauma

Even though you may have suffered trauma as a child does not mean the effects are permanent. Healing can occur with the right steps:

  • Psychotherapy. Talk therapy is a great way to process your past and examine how it may be affecting you today. 
  • Life coaching. Meeting with a life coach or medium in Los Angeles can help you gain insight and clarity on your issues. During these sessions, you will also learn how to nurture healthier relationships, set realistic goals and improve communication. 
  • Inner work. Reading books, writing in a journal and meditating are all effective ways to gain awareness and look at trauma from a different perspective.
  • Self-care. It’s important to take care of your mental, physical and spiritual health. Relationships are happier and easier when you love and care for yourself. 
  • Relationship work. Attending couples therapy can be a helpful addition to talk therapy. At the very least, make a commitment to spend one-on-one time with your partner to practice communication and perhaps even talk about your past. 

Schedule a Psychic Reading or Life Coaching Session Today 

Jack Rourke is a love psychic in Los Angeles who can help you uncover the reasons why you may be struggling in your adult relationships. Not every psychic is good at working on relationships, but you can find the right guidance with Jack Rourke. Jack also provides life coaching services, allowing you to get the answers, direction and clarity you need. Self-schedule yourself for an appointment or call us at 866-280-6888.