The human brain can become damaged in many ways beyond those that we might at first suspect. It is often the case that we feel pain from a traumatic experience that we have gone through.
Sometimes, this pain may be long-lasting and even extreme. Thus, it is best to learn about the types of trauma that one may go through and how the experience feels.
Attachment trauma is a specific type of trauma that can arise due to many factors. Most of the time, attachment trauma is based on childhood experiences. However, this form of trauma can impact people in their adult lives based on their attachment patterns and styles.
What is Attachment Trauma?
Attachment trauma is very dramatic in that it develops when a child does not receive the feedback and care they need growing up. This form of trauma usually occurs due to childhood abuse or neglect.
Attachment trauma may arise as the result of some of the following factors:
- Abuse – A child who is the victim of abuse may experience attachment trauma when they do not receive the care they need from their parent. It is incredibly common for someone who has directly experienced abuse to feel the impacts of that abuse for their entire life in some cases. It is even possible that they may never recover from this and that their attachment trauma will manifest in genuinely destructive ways in their own life.
- Neglect – Children need almost constant attention from their parents to develop normally. If a child does not receive the attention that they require, they may begin to develop some attachment trauma as a result. Parents who neglect their children this way are doing a major psychological blow to those children akin to physical abuse.
- Detached Parent – Some parents take care of their child’s basic needs but don’t necessarily ensure that their child receives the emotional care they need.
Different types of people experience attachment trauma differently, which can manifest differently based on the age of the person going through it. Attachment trauma can have long-term effects on the person that lasts into adulthood. This form of trauma ultimately impacts a person’s attachment styles and relationship behavior.
Attachment Trauma in Adolescents
Some parents often notice their children’s potential development of attachment trauma in adolescence. They may have brushed off issues they believed they saw in the past, thinking that it was nothing major, but that can change for some parents as their children begin to reach their adolescent years. This is when some of the issues of attachment trauma may begin to show themselves in more obvious ways.
Some of the signs of attachment trauma that show up in adolescents include:
- Trust Issues – An inability to be vulnerable with other people is something that many people struggle with. However, the complete lack of trust in other people for any reason is troubling. Adolescents and everyone else ought to be able to develop confidence with people with who they should naturally be close. Adolescents who refuse to get close to anyone may have some attachment trauma.
- Isolation – Different people prefer different levels of interaction with others, but it is troubling to see someone completely pull away from all others and refuse to speak with them. That level of isolation should trouble every parent, and it is not suitable for anyone to completely isolate themselves like this.
- Suicidal Ideation – Anyone who threatens to or attempts to take their own life needs emergency medical care immediately. They are going through something severe and must have help be brought to them directly. It may be the result of attachment trauma, but no matter the root cause, it needs the help of a professional immediately.
Adolescents don’t always know how to speak up for themselves and talk about the things they need. This is why the adults in their lives need to step up and help them out whenever possible.
Attachment Trauma in Adults
Adults may also develop attachment trauma. They may experience it as the result of things that happened to them in childhood or events that have transpired in their adult life. In either case, they may experience difficulty getting the help they need because they may feel a stigma about reaching out for help.
People who are victims of crimes, who experience the death of a loved one, go through a divorce, or take on any other challenging thing in life may find themselves in a position where they develop attachment trauma that starts to consume their energy. It is not a comfortable place to be, but it is precisely where some people find themselves when they are trying to do everything they can to deal with their attachment trauma as adults.
Healing from Attachment Trauma
It is very challenging to work on healing the wounds that are opened up when someone has attachment trauma. It is an experience that is very challenging to describe the magnitude of to any other person, and it seems likely that most won’t fully understand it even after it is explained to them. Thus, many people do feel a sense of difficulty starting the process. However, several tools can help the recovery process.
Expressive Artwork
There are several ways to work on oneself and relieve the mind of some of its most challenging thoughts and difficulties. Getting involved with expressive artwork is one way some people have found comfort in their lives. It can help them get some of the pain out in a productive and valuable way. This method is not suitable for everyone, but many people feel that it is something that has helped to save their life.
Breathwork
Many of us don’t think about how we are breathing at all. We don’t focus on this because we don’t realize just how important breathing is in our lives. Understanding that breathwork can help us control our blood pressure, stress levels, and much more are essential. It may also bring practitioners some relief from their attachment trauma.
Role Play
It may be helpful for some to walk through different scenarios experienced by using role-play to safely re-enact some of the most traumatic and difficult situations in their lives. This may be helpful for those struggling to get themselves out of a mentality of struggle and turmoil.
These are just a few ideas for how to find some relief from attachment trauma. Not every one of these ideas will work as well as the others for each person, and some may want to skip out on some of them entirely. Regardless, it is nice to know that some forms of therapy exist for those who need them to get through the most challenging struggles in their life.
Attachment trauma is a severe issue that can impact anyone, and we all need to make sure we have the tools in our toolbox to know what to do about it.
Attachment Trauma Treatment in Orange County, CA
People with attachment trauma may need treatment to learn how to manage their trauma and recover. It is essential for people with attachment trauma to heal their mental health to have healthy relationships in the future. Enhance Health Group can help those struggling with attachment trauma overcome their past experiences.
We are here to help people learn and grow past their trauma. We work with our clients at Enhance Health Group to help them heal their trauma. Our team practices trauma-informed care to ensure that our clients heal in a safe and secure environment.
