A young person sits on a step in conversation with a Barnardo's support worker

The link between childhood trauma and mental health

Published on
07 October 2024

We spoke with mental health specialist Dr Andrew Newman to debunk some myths and answer frequent questions.

Is there a link between trauma and mental health? How can trauma impact young people? What advice is there for parents and carers of young people who have experienced something traumatic? Dr Andrew Newman, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, shares his expert opinions below.

Is there a link between trauma and mental health?

It’s widely accepted that experiences in childhood affect our mental health. There are both genetic and environmental, or experience factors that affect our mental health and trauma is certainly an important factor for lots of people.

“How a specific factor or experience affects a person’s mental health is very individual.”

Trauma and children’s mental health

Childhoods are full of curiosity, growth and learning. However, if a young person experiences trauma within this time it can have a lasting impact.

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Childhood and adolescence are where we become who we are, we learn about and practice relationships and develop ways of managing difficult experiences, hopefully with the care and support of others.

Dr Andrew Newman

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

“If we have traumatising experiences and do not get sufficient support, this can have a long-term effect upon us.” “It is hard to say how trauma impacts a child as there are many types of traumatic experiences [and] the same experience may affect two similar children very differently.”

Below Dr Andrew shares some of the impacts, signs and effects of trauma.

Impacts, signs and effects of trauma

“Below is a list of experiences that are perfectly normal as an early response to a traumatic incident. This is not an exhaustive list, and people may experience other things not included here:

  • Upsetting memories such as images or thoughts about the trauma.

  • Feeling as if the trauma is happening again (flashbacks).

  • Bad dreams, nightmares, and trouble falling or staying asleep.

  • Getting upset when reminded about the trauma (by something the person sees, hears, feels, smells, or tastes).

  • Feeling frightened.

  • Feeling tearful.

  • Loss of interest.

  • Trouble controlling emotions because reminders lead to sudden anxiety, anger, or upset.

  • Feeling agitated and constantly on the lookout for danger.

  • Getting very startled by loud noises or something or someone making you jump when you don’t expect it.

  • Feeling shaky and sweaty.

Long term experiences of trauma can lead to the same responses as above, but also may lead a person to:

  • Struggle to trust others.

  • Expect the worst from others.

  • Have negative self-talk of themselves.

  • Blame themselves for things that were not their fault.”

Myth busting

Myth: ‘Trauma only affects people in the Military.’

“Although the concept of shellshock, that developed into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), originated from mental health professionals trying to help people who had traumatic experiences in conflict, trauma can affect everyone and is not unique to the military.”

Myth: ‘Childhood trauma is irreparable.’

With the right level of support we can find ways to cope and resolve our response to trauma. “Some people may need psychotherapy to help them recover, however for many people who experience a single event trauma, with time, their response to the trauma reduces and resolves.”

Myth: ‘You cannot help someone until they are ready for therapy.’

“There are many things we can do to support a person before therapy. Helping a person to build a trusting safe relationship is an important factor. We can do this by being consistent, predictable, and genuine. This is one of many ways we can help build trust into a relationship that is the foundation for a person making use of therapy”, added Andrew.

Myth: 'Trauma is a one-off event that changes you forever.'

“For some people it may be a one off significant traumatic event, like a car crash. However, for others, it might be a series of smaller incidents that build up to have significant effects. Experiencing violence in your home whilst growing up is an example of this, consistently worrying about your physical safety and those you love can have a significant impact on a young person’s mental health.”

Myth: 'They were too young to remember trauma.'

“Although very young children may not be able to put into words what traumatic experiences they had, particularly if they could not speak at the time it happened, that does not mean it will not affect them. Although it may look different, they may still have a trauma response and this can still adversely affect their mental health.”

Advice for parents and carers with children who have experienced trauma

When it comes to being there for children and young people, one of the most important things parents and carers can do is to be that reassuring, trusted adult. By doing this you create a safe and non-judgmental space for young people to talk or express themselves.

Simply being there as a trusted and safe adult can have a really big supportive effect and can make the world of difference to many children. Although you should not force a child to talk about it if they are not ready.​​​

Dr Andrew Newman

Consultant Clinical Psychologist 

“It is important to share with the child that the response they are having to what was a horrible experience is normal and understandable.”

Talking might not always be the way young people want to express themselves, so be open to listening to their experiences and getting creative.

"Generally speaking, children are much more creative than we are as adults. They may want to express themselves through play, or drawing, or by making things out of Lego. Indeed, in any manner of creative activities, you should embrace this! If your child chooses this way of communicating take a curious stance as to what they have created. Try not to judge it or make assumptions but be genuinely curious as to what it means to your child.”

"For some people, the traumatic responses [can] reduce over one to two months and most people are back to their normal state of mental wellbeing within this timeframe. However, if things do not improve or the traumatic experiences are multiple and experienced over a longer time, the person may need extra support.”

If you think your young person needs further support, there are lots of different ways you can help them.

"There may be times when your child needs professional support. Speaking to your GP about the services on offer in your area is an important step. As well as the NHS there are many charities that can support children who have experienced trauma, including support from Barnardo’s. Children may [also] be able to access therapeutic support from school.”

“Regardless of whether your young person needs a different type of support, it is important to continue to be there for your child throughout”.

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On a simpler level it is important to support your child to keep doing the things they love. If they love to bake cakes get the mixing bowl down from the cupboard, or if they love to play football, grab a ball and get outside. Doing the simple things with a supportive and trusted adult are often very helpful.

Dr Andrew Newman

Consultant Clinical Psychologist 

Whether you chat, draw, bake, get some fresh air, seek professional support, or all the above, being that supportive adult is so important to help your young person with anything they are going through.

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Further support for parents and carers

From running services across the country to providing useful online guidance and support, there are lots of ways we can make your role as a parent or carer a little bit easier.

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Do babies have mental health?

Dr Matt Price explains how good mental health starts right from the beginning of a child’s life. 

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Get emergency help if you are worried about a child.

Find out where to get emergency help for yourself or for someone else, and other organisations you can reach out to for support.

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