CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Simply put, childhood trauma is often described as serious adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as stated by Pearce J, Murray C, Larkin W (July 2019).

Children may experience psychology trauma which is usually caused when a parent, guardian or any significant person in the child’s life chooses to neglect the child or children, abandonment,sexual abuse, emotional and physical abuse, witnessing mentally ill parents or witnessing abuse of a sibling or parent.
Childhood trauma has a number of impacts in children’s lives such as health impact where a child may develop mental health issues such as depression, mental disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and many more.

A picture by Huff Post life depicting a depressed child.

Another impact is the psychological impact which is suicidal tendencies, substance abuse. A physical impact may arise whereby the child entirely draws back, gets into toxic relationships because they can not distinguish it from the healthy relationships and many more. Study shows that neglected children tend to be narcissistic as they grow up, so basically these traumas are never forgotten by these children. I’m the long ran, these affect their relationships such as marriages, at work, friendships and many more.

Zorah (not real name) shared Abit of her experience and she said, “narcissists tend to turn out that way because of the sort of environment they grew up in, given the fact that some of these people were neglected,abandoned in their childhood by their loved ones so it takes a huge toll on them.”

I urge all parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives whether you’re a single parent, divorced or still married because this will play a huge role on how your child turns out to be. Show them love,care support, always be there for them because this grows their self esteem, confidence, trust and they will be able to spot out toxic relationships or spaces.

Pastor Isaac and his beautiful wife Pastor Rahab Macharia of Trinity Chapel Kampala state that they always make it a point to be actively present parents in the live of their three adorable children. This has helped boost their children’s confidence,self esteem,trust in their parents and to stand against bullies.

The Macharias Family.

I would like to conclude by stating that a study done by Stefania Tognin and Maria Calem comparing healthy comparisons (HC) and individuals at clinically high risk for developing psychosis (CHR) , 65.6% CHR patients and 23% HC experience some level of childhood trauma. In conclusion of the study shows that there is a correlation between the effects of childhood and the being at high risk for psychosis.Psychosis is characterized as disruptions to a person’s thoughts and perceptions that make it difficult for them to recognize what is real and what isn’t. These disruptions are often experienced as seeing, hearing and believing things that aren’t real or having strange, persistent thoughts, behaviors and emotions.