Signs and Symptoms of Interpersonal Trauma
Interpersonal trauma is when another person puts you down, avoids you, controls you, is highly critical, physically harms you, rapes you, etc. Interpersonal trauma will shatter your sense of self and leave you feeling dysregulated and confused with the inability to process information.
You may suffer from the symptoms below if you have witnessed violence or emotional abuse between your parents, another caregiver, partner or someone else. It can cause you to have problems with attachment and for a child and young person, their development. Often the symptoms may be similar to ADHD or another disorder, and treatment for the trauma is missed. When the trauma is not considered, the reward-punishment model is then applied and won't work because you need empathy, understanding, and the space to heal from the traumatic experiences and to rebuild your sense of self. Not only will you need support, but, if you are still living at home or a parent or caregiver, the family systemic functioning will also need support and to be revisited so the family dynamic is improved and enriching rather than harmful, however unintentional it may be.
Signs and Symptoms of interpersonal trauma for children, adolescents and adults Include:
You may suffer from the symptoms below if you have witnessed violence or emotional abuse between your parents, another caregiver, partner or someone else. It can cause you to have problems with attachment and for a child and young person, their development. Often the symptoms may be similar to ADHD or another disorder, and treatment for the trauma is missed. When the trauma is not considered, the reward-punishment model is then applied and won't work because you need empathy, understanding, and the space to heal from the traumatic experiences and to rebuild your sense of self. Not only will you need support, but, if you are still living at home or a parent or caregiver, the family systemic functioning will also need support and to be revisited so the family dynamic is improved and enriching rather than harmful, however unintentional it may be.
Signs and Symptoms of interpersonal trauma for children, adolescents and adults Include:
- Feeling confused
- Difficulty concentrating
- Problems with attention
- Problems with regulating emotions
- Changes in personality
- Dissociation
- Impulsive behaviour including impulsive risk taking behaviour
- Passive, passive-aggressive, aggressive behaviour
- Low self-esteem including poor self-image
- Decreased cognitive functioning
- Poor memory
- Disruptions in social development - for younger people
- Interpersonal difficulties
- Poor ability to plan and organise
- Oppositional behaviour
- Increased anxiety
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Depression
- Difficulties with perspective-taking which can lead to a defensive interpersonal style and problems with friendships
