Impacts of Trauma
Trauma is a normal human response to an abnormal event, and can have many sources. Some examples of traumatic experiences include neglect, abuse, household dysfunction, bullying, racial based trauma, historical trauma, collective trauma, and more. For example, the Covid19 pandemic is a form of a large-scale collective trauma. It has negatively impacted our community, our country, and the entire world. The degree of impact occurs on a spectrum. For instance, some people experienced trauma associated with uprooting their lives, constant fear, etc. while for others there were additional layers such as grief and loss.
Behavioral and Health Outcomes
Trauma can create short and long lasting effects on a person. Some of those impacts might include:
- Avoidance
- Fear
- Aggressive behavior
- Guarded behavior
- Negative thinking
- Loss of interest.
There is also potential for unhealthy coping behaviors and significant long-term health outcomes.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study looked at experiences of abuse, neglect, and household challenges that individuals experience during their first 18 years of life. The findings shed light on the psychological effects and long- term impacts of negative experiences during someone’s upbringing.
The ACEs study found that:
- 2 out of 3 participants had at least one Adverse Childhood Experience.
- More than 1 in 5 respondents had three or more ACEs.
This means that a large percentage of our workforce has a history of trauma. This is not counting the collective trauma that we are experiencing due to the pandemic.
Learn more about Adverse Childhood Experiences. (Joining Forces for Children)
Read more about the CDC- Kaiser ACE Study.