What are examples of Intergenerational Trauma? The first step toward reversing this impact is to recognize the signs and symptoms. For women, the number is nearly 50 percent.Īgain, these events can impose enduring pain on a family for generations. And then there is all the sexual violence: 20 percent of men endure sexual violence during their lifetime. Roughly 8 million people will develop PTSD in any given year. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is developed by 4 percent of men and 10 percent of women. Abuse and neglect are a reality for 1 in 7 children. Each and every minute, 20 individuals are physically abused by their intimate partner. As such, generational trauma does not have to be conscious for current generations to feel its effects and it can manifest in various ways over time. Additionally, physiological changes brought on by specific experiences of trauma-e.g., heightened stress levels in the body and brain–can also be inherited. It is typically passed down from one generation to the next via shared myths and stories, family trauma dynamics, as well as environmental and cultural influences. Generational trauma can result from conditions such as wars, slavery, or natural disasters. Generational trauma is a form of collective suffering which can be caused by extreme events or prolonged periods of difficulty. Unfortunately, the stigma of seeking mental health treatment is enough to keep difficult and disturbing things undiscussed and unaddressed. In addition to families simply not recognizing how much they are shaped by horrific events in the past, they may be reluctant to call it out. Moreover, generational trauma typically results from both a lack of awareness and/or the stigma of the trauma. But regardless of what you call it, trauma can create ripples of behavior and perception affecting generations of the same family for much longer than members realize. Some people also refer to it as “intergenerational trauma”. Generational trauma is a term used to describe a “passing down” of traumatic impact and emotional fallout. Current research puts the numbers at 50 percent for women and 60 percent for men for enduring at least one traumatic event during their lifetime. Apart from contributing to psychological distress, it can also influence physical health, behaviors, and relationships.

But, whatever we call it, it can profoundly shape mental health across generations. Other people us the terms “ancestral trauma” or “transgenerational trauma”. It can also be called “intergenerational trauma”. Generational trauma is sometimes referred to in few different ways.

Definition of intergenerational trauma