Are Trauma & Mental Health Connected?

Ingrid Weiss Slikkers (LMSW, CCTP, CCTS-I, CFTP) is Assistant Professor at Andrews University & the Executive Director for the International Center for Trauma and Care

When working with children and adolescents the question that seems to frequently arise is “are trauma and mental health connected?”  Interconnections between mental health and psychological or emotional trauma at times appear clear, but not always.

Let us start with definitions.  Mental health is generally described as a person’s condition in regard to their psychological or emotional wellbeing.  Definitions may include the recognition that the individual is able to fulfill functions well in various environments, can maintain good relationships, is able to learn, feel, and even manage a wide range of emotions.

Trauma is commonly depicted as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience, a traumatic or life-threatening event that is outside the normal range of daily human experience. These events confront people with such horror and threat that it may temporarily or permanently alter their capacity to cope, their perception of threat and their self-concept.  Trauma can also happen when you go through, see, or learn about an event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation.  Often, trauma is described as damage or injury to the mind after living through an extremely frightening or distressing event/s and may result in challenges in functioning or coping normally after the event.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study done in the late 1990’s by researchers at the CDC (for more information see https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html )showed the significant impact of trauma on the physical health of individuals years later even to the point of shortening their life.  The higher the ACE score, the higher the chances for mental health concerns, drug addiction, and suicide.  This study supported that traumatic childhood experiences significantly impacted not only the mental health of individuals but their physical health. 

We know that certain mental health conditions can be passed down through heredity factors, examples such as schizophrenia, alcoholism, and ADHD.  However, the study of epigenetics is also showing that traumatic experiences can be passed down through generations supporting what scripture tells us in Deuteronomy 5:9.

As more research has been done into the impact of childhood experiences, greater concern has arisen beyond what may appear to be obvious traumatic childhood events such as violence, sexual or emotional abuse.  Chronic or toxic stress situations show huge impacts upon the growing brain and these can include divorce, bullying, maternal depression, either parent struggling with mental illness. These can be just as impactful as the aforementioned violence.  Community toxic stress situations indicate poor water and air quality, as well as poverty, which can significantly affect a developing child’s mental health.  Sadly, historical trauma also is part of this list. It seems obvious that natural disasters could have significant effects on children such as fires, tornados, hurricanes but now the pandemic is showing concerning traumatic consequences as well.

When working with youth it may be that there are some pre-existing conditions that may make the youth more susceptible to struggle with mental health concerns.  Remembering that the brain is an organ we must remember that physical health can affect the mind. Toxic stress, if left unaddressed can affect families, schools, and communities. Resiliency, the ability to “bounce back” from difficult situations, needs to be the focus in order for the consequences not to impact mental health and subsequent mental illness.

It is true that not every traumatic event will cause a mental health issue, just as a mental health concern may not be directly coming from trauma. However, as we work with youth and are an instrumental part of their development spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically we should keep in mind that we do not know everything about the child or their environment.  If we view all children and adolescents with a trauma-aware perspective, knowing that their brain is growing and has plasticity, we can develop environments that are safe physically and emotionally, teach recognition of emotions and their management and teach and nurture relationships. 

Interestingly enough, these pillars of the trauma-informed perspective are also the pillars to promote mental health wellbeing. See the connection now?

Reflection Questions:

1. What is the definition of trauma?
2. Are trauma and mental health connected?
3. The higher the ACE score, the higher the chances for mental health concerns, drug addiction and suicide. True or false?
4. What is toxic stress?
5. If toxic stress is left unaddressed it can affect families, schools, and communities. True or False

By Ingrid Weiss Slikkers