How Big The Effect Of Trauma In Childhood

Newborns are completely dependent on their parents or first caregivers. In this condition, parents or caregivers will protect and support the child's growth and development process. Unfortunately, not all parents are able to carry out their duties and responsibilities properly.

Growing up as a child who experienced and / or witnessed violence was not easy. Moreover, children cannot understand and express what they are experiencing and feeling. If it continues like this, without getting the right treatment, the wound on the child will grow stronger as time goes by.

Child Violence

According to Minzenberg, Poole, and Vinogradov, childhood trauma consists of:

1. Physical violence.

When a parent or caregiver causes physical injury to a child. Some examples of physical violence are kicking, hitting, choking, whipping, or other actions that injure a child.

2. Sexual violence.

When someone who is older or has more power than the child, involves the child in sexual acts or makes the child a sexual goal. Examples of sexual violence are showing the intimate organs of children, having sexual contact with children, prostitution and child pornography.

3. Emotional abuse.

When the behavior of a parent or caregiver harms a child's mental and social development, it also has a major impact on the child's emotional side. For example, rejecting, ignoring, humiliating, blaming, and restraining.

4. Abandonment.

5. If parents or caregivers do not provide care, attention, assistance, affection and support to meet the needs of the child. Children's needs include health, safety and well-being. Examples of child neglect are not meeting the child's basic needs (food and clothing), locking a child in a room, or leaving a child in a place that is dangerous to him / her.

Also Read: 4 Psychological Problems Often Experienced by Young People

Effects of Violence on Children

Quoted from the Child Welfare page, apart from leaving physical and emotional wounds, child abuse and neglect also cause trauma and prolonged stress. The presence of trauma also has an impact on a person's ability to adapt to unusual changes that occur in his life. Children and adolescents may have different responses to trauma, including distrust of others (even those closest to them) and withdrawing from family and friends.

As they grow older, children who have witnessed or experienced violent incidents firsthand experience the negative effects of these events. It causes difficulties in establishing romantic relationships, displaying risky behavior (smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illegal drugs), as well as committing violence against a partner or being treated harshly by a partner. Apart from that, it also causes trauma that is also present in life. Trauma to children is a risk factor for developing problems in human life. Problems include medical problems (heart attack, stroke, cancer, or obesity) and psychiatric problems (depression, PTSD, etc.). This risk factor will be strengthened when a person has not realized or denied that there has been a past trauma that affects their living conditions.