Understanding the Deep Roots of Psychological Pain

We did not do it ourselves, so we should not deal with it alone.

How Trauma Can Cause Mental Illness:

Mental illness doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It often has a story, and more often than not, that story begins with trauma. From childhood neglect to violent events, racism to poverty, betrayal to abandonment, trauma can quietly sow the seeds for a wide range of mental health struggles. Understanding this connection is critical not only for healing but also for reducing the shame and stigma that often surround mental illness.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma is not just what happens to you — it’s what happens inside you as a result. It's the emotional, psychological, and physiological response to deeply distressing or disturbing events. Trauma can be:

Acute (a single overwhelming event, like a car accident or assault),

Chronic (ongoing abuse, neglect, or violence),

Complex (multiple traumatic experiences over time, often during early development).

Even experiences that don’t seem “major” to others — like constant criticism, emotional neglect, or racial microaggressions — can have traumatic effects, especially if they happen in formative years.

How Trauma Affects the Brain and Body

Trauma is not just emotional. It physically changes how the brain and body work:

The amygdala (responsible for fear and threat detection) becomes hyperactive.

The hippocampus (which helps regulate memory and context) can shrink.

The prefrontal cortex (involved in reasoning and impulse control) may become underactive.

The nervous system becomes dysregulated, often swinging between hyperarousal (anxiety, panic, irritability) and hypoarousal (numbness, depression, disconnection).

These changes can lead to long-term mental health conditions if trauma goes unprocessed.

Trauma as a Root Cause of Mental Illness

Many common mental illnesses can be traced back to unresolved trauma:

Depression

People who’ve experienced trauma often carry deep grief, hopelessness, and a sense of worthlessness. When emotions are suppressed or not validated, it can evolve into depression.

Anxiety Disorders

Trauma teaches the brain and body that the world is not safe. As a result, the nervous system remains on high alert, leading to generalized anxiety, panic attacks, or phobias.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is a direct result of trauma, marked by flashbacks, nightmares, emotional detachment, and avoidance. Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from long-term trauma also includes shame, identity issues, and difficulty with relationships.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Often linked to childhood trauma and attachment wounds, BPD involves intense emotions, fear of abandonment, and unstable self-image.

Substance Use Disorders

Many people turn to drugs, alcohol, or compulsive behaviors to self-soothe and escape trauma-induced emotional pain — a phenomenon known as "trauma coping."

Schizophrenia and Psychosis

While more complex and multifactorial, there is increasing evidence that childhood trauma — especially sexual abuse and emotional neglect — increases the risk of psychotic symptoms later in life.

Cultural and Collective Trauma

It’s important to recognize that trauma doesn’t just happen to individuals. Collective trauma — from slavery, colonization, genocide, war, poverty, and systemic racism — has psychological consequences that ripple through generations. For Black, Indigenous, and marginalized communities, unaddressed collective trauma can fuel cycles of violence, mistrust, identity confusion, and mental illness.

Signs Trauma May Be Affecting Your Mental Health

• Recurring nightmares or intrusive thoughts

• Sudden mood swings or emotional numbness

• Self-destructive behaviors (addictions, risky choices)

• Difficulty trusting others or maintaining relationships

• Feeling disconnected from yourself or the world

• Deep shame, guilt, or self-blame

• Chronic anxiety or depression

Pathways to Healing

Trauma-informed healing isn’t just about medication or diagnoses — it’s about reclaiming safety, identity, and self-trust. Some effective approaches include:

• Trauma-Informed Therapy (such as EMDR, somatic experiencing, or Internal Family Systems)

• Support groups and community healing spaces

• Body-based practices like yoga, breathwork, or dance

• Creative expression (journaling, art, storytelling)

• Culturally-rooted healing practices (ritual, ancestral connection, spiritual work)

• Medication, when appropriate, to stabilize symptoms

Trauma doesn't define who you are, but it can shape how you feel, think, and respond to the world until it's processed. Mental illness is not a weakness or a character flaw. It's often a natural response to unnatural pain. When we understand how trauma lives in the body and mind, we move closer to true healing — and to breaking the cycles that harm us.

You are not broken. You are healing.