Key points
- Intergenerational trauma occurs when the trauma of an earlier generation gets passed down through the family.
- Studying family history can provide clues to the source of intergenerational trauma.
- More studies are coming forth to help individuals cope with intergenerational trauma.
Intergenerational trauma is a theory that trauma experienced by one person in a family can be passed down to future generations. Sometimes called historical trauma or multigenerational trauma, it can be experienced by certain cultural, racial, or ethnic groups, and could result in emotional or behavioral reactions.
The fact is that when you are a child of someone who has experienced tremendous trauma, those memories can become yours. While some individuals might not be victims of intergenerational trauma, others might experience signs such as clinical depression accompanied by low self-esteem, feelings of vulnerability, unexplained anxiety, aggressive behavior/irritability, difficulty concentrating, substance abuse, relationship issues, frequent nightmares, suicidal tendencies, and/or physical and psychological illnesses.
In my new book, Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors (2024), I discuss how my grandmother survived World War I and my father…
