5 Signs You Had A Traumatic Childhood (And Don't Realize It)

There are many types of childhood trauma that can range from events like physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, divorce, substance abuse, or a mental illness. Difficulties like trusting others, low self-esteem, fears of being judged, constant nightmares, or self-destructive behaviours can be hidden signs that someone may have experienced trauma of some sort. Adults can develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder even if they have no explicit memory of an early childhood trauma, according to research by UCLA psychologists.

Although you may recognize some of these signs in yourself or someone you know, it is BEST not to diagnose yourself. Please reach out to a professional if you want to get treatment of some sort.

Psych2Go is on a mission to raise awareness of mental health and destigmatize mental health issues. We hope that this video will encourage you to talk.

Writer: Stela Kosic
Script Editor: Isadora Ho
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

[Psychgo]

Psych2Go is on a mission to raise awareness of mental health and destigmatize mental health issues. We hope that this video will encourage you to talk.

[Dev.Yadav.]

Most parents don't think about their kids emotions. Feeds and clothe that's all they think kids need.

[trex]

I was shocked to see how comfortable my friends are with their parents until I realized mine were just too toxic to make me feel comfortable

[anotherplanet]

My emotions got shut down with “I’ll give you something to cry about!” and “stop it, you’re gonna make yourself sick!” Mom was a closet alcoholic and covert narc. Dad was stern, scary, short fused and probably on the spectrum and had no idea what to do with emotional issues. Thanks for the validation and comfort that I get from your vids. You are doing important and life changing work.

[carolsipala]

My childhood was horrific and has left me damaged. Trusting people is very difficult.

[gamingbrother]

Number 2, 3 and 4 are literally me. My mom constantly criticized me, berated me and talked down to me if I voiced my opinion that wasn't in line with her. My mom discreted my feelings as overreacting and childish.
I understand she was a single mom who was going through a difficult time herself. But under no circumstances you take that anger out on anyone. Especially not a child.

[ToughAqua]

Just a heads-up for others: Parents aren't always the cause. For me, it was my school environment that caused my trauma. My family was actually very supportive! But trauma is trauma; the cause may be different but we're just as valid!

[erushi_rose]

It makes me so sad that my parents brush off the illness of PTSD. I have been diagnosed with PTSD recently and I always feel heartbroken knowing that the experiences I had growing up weren't normal. I am still living with my parents (I'm in high school) and I always try to avoid conflict as much as possible for my little sister, as I can tell she is obviously experiencing the traumatic aftereffects of her childhood that are still ongoing. I always tear up when I see her flinch every time my Dad just walks past or near her.

[rottedbug]

wow, hearing age regression being addressed so casually an directly is so nice. age regression is not in any way related to nsfw things (contrary to popular assumption), it's a trauma response and coping mechanism and is often involuntary. and indeed, sometimes it is NOT fun. thank you for mentioning it

[iheartshaneandjeffree]

My childhood was horrible. I was sexually assaulted by my 16 year old neighbor when I was 6. I watched my dad beat my mom all the time. I also have anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder. I have an 8 year old son that I have to be careful around because anger is a huge side effect but he has a great life, he’s very comfortable and tells me things he won’t tell anyone else. He’s very loved and I’m happy he’s here. I need to not let my mental illnesses affect him

[mariliatsaliagou]

0:48 /1/ childish reactions
1:39 /2/ insecure attachment
2:23 /3/ conflict avoidance
3:05 /4/ low-self worth
3:46 /5/ risky behaviour

[dragonwithagirltattoo]

Whenever I would get upset about anything, I was told that I was too sensitive. I learned to clam up and not say anything. Repressing your emotions will hurt you for your entire life. I know. I’ve done it for most of mine. I’m typically a people pleaser though. I just want to be needed and loved. It stinks because occasionally I blow like a volcano.

[chicobicalho]

From 0 to 9 I grew up in a wonderful, loving environment. Just as I turned nine, my mom died in a stupid automobile accident, caused by a bus driver that went through a red light. Suddenly, my life flipped around in absolute terms; my farther went bezerk, married a woman that was the exact opposite of my mom, and my life became a nightmare. What kept me from falling appart was the massive amount of love I received from my mother, a love that helped me survive this nightmare, and a sense I had, which I don't know where it came from, that I should live my life to make her proud of her only child, and this, miraculously, gave me strength to go on, and to survive. Now, looking back, I believe she would be very proud of her kid, but at the same time, I realize what a horrible experience I went through. This, by the way, took place 50 years ago.

[slam]

I've been going to therapy for about 7 months now and have been diagnosed with compounded complex trauma. It's incredible to me how much of my childhood i thought was normal until I got older and noticed my friends weren't scared of their parents. They didn't get screamed at or hit anytime they challenged, questioned anything, or voiced their own thoughts on something. Going to a friend's house where they have a safe environment is a real eye opener.

[sallysmith]

I am very old now, 75. After being a very busy adult, working and raising children, I had time to think about my childhood and its possible effects on me, because I still have numerous behaviors as listed in this video. I was the youngest child;I was like a ghost child. Fed and clothed, never complimented, never told I was loved. My siblings all had something special they offered my parents. My sister became a nun, and my brothers simply had to be males. I was very attached to my parents, but I realize the touching and affection was from me to them, not the other way around. Very difficult to stand up for myself, and always afraid I am going to make someone mad at me. I believe this all has led me to over eat. It's my way of doing something nice for myself, as horrible as it seems to say that. That is my risky behavior, which I am having a hard time stopping.

[Itsjettondon]

I told my dad I was suicidal and he told me “no your not” and moved on that’s what made me realize he wasn’t the best person. It’s like always knew something was wrong but that’s what made me realize it

[EchoDotNetDotCom]

I trust people too easily to try to fill up how abandoned and empty I feel

[lisamareepritchard]

I grew up in the era of “children should be seen but not heard” when I look back I realise that was wrong & did not do this with my children, they have grown up with a healthy self esteem & im so proud of them. It still hurts sometimes what I experienced, but I understand & have come to terms with it, my parents took me to a child psychiatrist when I was 6 because I was so anxious, but it was just brushed off really. I still wonder why sometimes but I’ve just pushed past it as I’m in my 50s now, I can’t let that define my life

[peppybreyer]

I always felt like something wasn’t right but I grew up very sheltered so I didn’t really know what was “normal”. When I would go to friends houses, and then asked my parents why they were calmer and kinder, I was told they were soft and stupid and that my family was more of the average. I had no idea my family was toxic until I went to college and spoke to friends about it. I was surprised to see them look so worried and tell me that the way I grew up is far from normal. Getting beat and screamed at for forgetting a chore or voicing an opinion on something, loosing belongings for struggling in school, being allowed zero privacy and being in complete terror when making a mistake, fearful of the punishment I received, are all not normal. And that’s been a big pill to swallow. Especially because I still have to live with them. I’m in therapy and attempting to work through it.

Thank you all for putting out this video tho, if I saw this years ago I might have known and learned that the suffering I experienced wasn’t normal and not something I should have ever gone through

[darkfry]

My parents divorced before i was born and my mom had me the first 8 years of my life and was in 2 very abusive relationships during that time before finally going to my dad. Got better but the trauma followed me into my teens which created even more to this day, i will do my best to kick some of these habits, but im thankful that there are others out there who can relate (not that they had trauma) but that im not alone ❤ thank you for this video and everyone else who shared their struggles, i will continue to fight for healing in honor of that