The concept of trauma being passed down from one generation to the next is relatively new, but its novelty doesn't make it any less significant. Many people who struggle with insecure attachment styles find themselves questioning the origin of their challenges, especially if their childhood seemed "normal." If you've ever wondered why you struggle with relationships despite not experiencing overt trauma, the answer might lie deeper—within your genes and family history.
This inherited burden of trauma is known as transgenerational trauma. It is the phenomenon where emotional wounds are passed down from generation to generation without proper resolution or healing. Also known as inter- or multi-generational trauma, this unhealed pain may manifest in the attachment styles we form with those around us.
In this article, we'll cover the following:
The classification of trauma
What transgenerational trauma is
How transgenerational trauma is transmitted
Whether insecure attachment styles can be passed on like transgenerational trauma
Steps you can take to prevent passing on insecure attachment styles to your children
What is Trauma?
Trauma can arise in various forms and generally represents an emotional response to a stressful, frightening, or distressing event, such as natural disasters, death, or abuse. The onset and severity of trauma symptoms vary from person to person, but they often include:
Intense or upsetting dreams or nightmares
Flashbacks
Difficulties concentrating
Disturbed sleep
Increased avoidant behaviors, such as detachment or lack of interest in close relationships
Memory loss, particularly related to the traumatic event
To fully understand the impact of trauma, we must also consider an individual's social context. For a child, this means understanding the family environment in which they develop. If a child experiences a disruption to the bonding process with their primary caregiver—whether through abuse, neglect, or even a lack of affection—attachment trauma can form. This type of trauma can lead to persistent emotional wounds, extending beyond the individual level and into the realm of transgenerational trauma.
What is Transgenerational Trauma?
Transgenerational trauma is distinct from trauma experienced directly by an individual. Instead, it is trauma passed from generation to generation, impacting individuals through both genetic and behavioral pathways. This form of trauma can manifest in individuals and at the collective level.
For instance, domestic abuse can alter an individual's genetic makeup, predisposing their children to be more sensitive to similar stressors. On the collective level, the experiences of entire groups—such as Holocaust survivors, descendants of enslaved African Americans, or war refugees—can foster a shared sense of trauma, commonly called historical trauma.
Despite its negative connotations, it's important to remember that resilience can also be passed down. People whose ancestors survived significant historical traumas, like the Holocaust, may develop a sense of strength as a result of these hardships.
The "Phantom" of Transgenerational Trauma
Transgenerational trauma is often called the "Phantom" because of its elusive nature. The traumatic events didn't directly happen to us, but their impacts live within our subconscious, manifested through attitudes and behaviors. These unconscious influences can, in turn, be passed on to our children, creating a cycle of trauma and attachment insecurity.
How is Transgenerational Trauma Passed Down?
There was once a debate in psychology about whether nature (genetics) or nurture (environment) played the most significant role in shaping an individual's traits and behaviors. The answer is both—and epigenetics is key to understanding how this happens.
Epigenetics is the study of how our behaviors and environment influence gene expression. Unlike direct changes to DNA, epigenetic changes alter how the body reads genetic information. Traumas experienced by parents can influence the genetic predisposition of their children—essentially "marking" their genes based on the parents' lived experiences.
One of the strongest pieces of evidence for the role of epigenetics in transgenerational trauma is the effect of distress experienced during pregnancy and early childhood. These early stages are crucial for a child's development, and even subtle cues can influence a baby's response to their environment.
Additionally, environmental factors, such as stress and poor self-care during challenging times, also play a role in transmitting trauma from one generation to the next. Fortunately, epigenetic changes are reversible, meaning the cycle can be broken with effort and awareness.
Can Insecure Attachment Be Passed On Like Transgenerational Trauma?
The short answer is yes. An insecure attachment style, much like trauma, can be passed through generations for several reasons:
Parenting Triggers Attachment Insecurity: Parenting, especially for first-time parents, can be an incredibly stressful experience. Those with insecure attachment styles may re-experience childhood trauma during this time, which can affect how they respond to their children's needs.
Role Reversal in the Parent-Child Relationship: Insecurely attached caregivers may emotionally detach from their children or inconsistently meet their needs, causing the child to take on a caregiving role—leading to an unhealthy dynamic and attachment issues in future relationships.
Misattunement to Children's Needs: Trauma can impair caregivers' ability to attune to their children's needs. Children learn to mirror their caregivers' emotional responses. If a caregiver suppresses emotions due to unresolved trauma, the child may adopt similar avoidant behaviors, leading to attachment insecurities.
Steps to Prevent Passing On Insecure Attachment Styles
While our trauma can be embedded within our genes, we have the power to break the cycle and prevent the transmission of insecure attachment styles to our children. Here are some strategies:
Prevent Transmission Through Awareness: Knowledge is the first step toward breaking the cycle. Raising awareness about transgenerational trauma helps mitigate its effects and allows us to respond more adaptively to trauma and attachment issues.
Recognize and Build Upon Strengths: Resilience can be cultivated, and recognizing strengths derived from hardship can help individuals overcome adversity. This resilience can be a powerful tool in preventing the transmission of trauma.
Allow Time to Grieve: Grieving trauma—whether our own or inherited from past generations—is essential to healing. By processing and resolving our grief, we lessen the chance of passing it to future generations.
Emphasize Safety and Support: Two key conditions for secure attachment are safety and support. By fostering these conditions in the home, caregivers can help children develop a secure attachment style, effectively breaking cycles of transgenerational trauma.
Final Thoughts on Transgenerational Trauma and Insecure Attachment
Transgenerational trauma—often called the "Phantom"—is a pervasive but often invisible force that can shape our lives and relationships. However, despite its challenges, it is preventable. With awareness, recognition of our strengths, intentional grieving, and fostering safety and support in our relationships, we can break the cycle of trauma and attachment insecurity. If you struggle with trauma and attachment issues, consider seeking support from a mental health professional.
Remember, transgenerational trauma is a shared burden, but it can be overcome. Breaking the cycle benefits not only future generations but also improves your quality of life.
References
Abraham, N., & Torok, M. (1994). Secrets and Posterity: The Theory of Transgenerational Phantom. In Abraham, N., Torok, M. (Eds.), The Shell and the Kernel: Renewals of Psychoanalysis, Volume 1. University of Chicago Press. ISBN: 0226000877.
Alford, C.F. (2016). Haunted Dialogues: When Histories Collide. In Grand, S., Salberg, J. (Eds.), Trans-generational Trauma and the Other: Dialogues across history and difference. Taylor & Francis. ISBN: 1315466287.
Bakó, T., & Zana, K. (2018). The Vehicle of Transgenerational Trauma: The Transgenerational Atmosphere. American Imago, 75(2), 271-285. doi:10.1353/aim.2018.0013.
Goodman, R.D. (2013). The transgenerational trauma and resilience genogram. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 26(3-4), 386-405. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2013.820172.
Isobel, S., Goodyear, M., Furness, T., & Foster, K. (2018). Preventing intergenerational trauma transmission: A critical interpretive synthesis. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 28(7-8), 1100-1113. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14735.
Yehuda, R., & Lehrner, A. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. World Psychiatry, 17(3), 243-257. doi: 10.1002/wps.20568.
Taken from an article posted on attachmentproject.org
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