THE IMPACT OF (PSYCHOLOGICAL) CHILDHOOD TRAUMA ON MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR
Keywords:
trauma, childhood, PTSD, abuse, psychopathology, disorders, behavior, mental healthAbstract
Psychological trauma is a unique individual experience of a negative event or long-term conditions, in which the individual's immediate ability to integrate his emotional experience is overcome, i.e. a painful experience in early life that caused permanent psychological damage to the individual. Childhood traumas represent a frequent and complex social and psychological problem, which contributes to an increased risk of mental disorders in adulthood. The aim of this paper is to consider the role of childhood trauma and its consequences on the mental health and behavior of an individual. Over the past decades, recent studies consistently show that the negative impact of childhood trauma on an individual's mental health is significant and leads to the emergence of numerous psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, suicide attempts, psychosis, drug addiction disorders, difficulties in emotional regulation and personality disorders. Research has shown that childhood trauma is also associated with criminal behavior. The results of previous research indicate that severe and long-term abuse and/or neglect of children can lead to biological changes, putting them at greater risk for committing violent crimes. Type III trauma disrupts normal development and is often associated with long-term neurophysiological changes involving the brain and endocrine system and in most cases leads to cognitive deficits, lack of empathy, aggression, anger and other socially unacceptable forms of behavior. The impact of a traumatic event on an individual depends on many factors, including the characteristics of the individual, the type and characteristics of the event, developmental processes, the meaning of the trauma, and sociocultural factors. High rates of traumatic exposure and associated clinical and neurobiological manifestations, with an increased public health burden, point to the importance of early effective interventions. Social support, early psychological interventions, and/or other tailored treatment strategies can build and improve resilience to trauma and help individuals in their healing process.
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