What Is Generational Trauma? Signs & How To Heal From It 2024

Sarah Ryan

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN

what is generational trauma
Generational trauma can have long-term consequences on families.

Also known as transgenerational trauma and intergenerational trauma, it refers to the psychological and emotional impact of traumatic experiences passed down from one generation to another. This type of trauma can be transmitted through various channels, including cultural traditions, family relationships, and even genetic inheritance.

What is generational traumal? A single individual doesn’t experience trauma; it can extend for generations and have severe and long-term consequences on individuals, families, and community groups. It can lead to mental illness, substance abuse, and socioeconomic disparities. On the upside, healing from trauma is entirely possible with the right interventions.

Key Takeaways

  • Generational trauma refers to the emotional and psychological scars passed down from generation to generation.
  • The signs and symptoms of generational trauma include anxiety, depression, addiction, PTSD, avoidance, and isolation. 
  • Healing from generational trauma requires addressing the root cause of the trauma and seeking support through community, therapy, or self-care.

What Is Intergenerational Trauma?

Intergenerational trauma is the same as generational trauma and refers to the emotional and psychological scars passed down from generation to generation. Examples of the causes of generational trauma include historical events, natural disasters, or systemic oppression experienced by a cultural group, such as slavery or genocide. 

Traumatic experiences and their effects can be intergenerational, affecting the immediate victim and their descendants. The unresolved trauma may manifest in many ways, including anxiety, stress, depression, addiction, and even physical health problems.

Research has shown that this kind of trauma can alter the genetic expression of descendants and cause changes in brain structure and function, leading to increased vulnerability to mental health disorders. 

The impact of intergenerational trauma is not limited to the at-risk group but can also spill over to society’s broader population. It remains a root cause of some social issues as subsequent generations deal with its consequences.

Generational Trauma Signs & Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of intergenerational trauma can manifest in a range of ways,[1] including:

  • Anxiety: Individuals who have experienced intergenerational trauma may have persistent feelings of worry or fear, which can manifest in physical symptoms such as restlessness, trouble sleeping, and increased heart rate.
  • Depression: Intergenerational trauma can also lead to depression,[2] including feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and difficulty finding pleasure in once enjoyable activities.
  • Addiction: Individuals who have experienced intergenerational trauma may be more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol[3] as a coping mechanism, which can lead to addiction and substance abuse.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder and hypervigilance: Individuals who have experienced generational trauma may be more alert and wary of potential threats or danger,[4] making it difficult to relax and feel safe in their surroundings.
  • Avoidance: Some individuals may actively avoid situations or people that remind them of their trauma, leading to isolation and social withdrawal.[5]

The Impact Of Generational Trauma

On Communities

what is generational trauma
Systemic oppression can cause trauma within communities.

Individuals and communities affected by historical trauma may experience a wide range of negative outcomes,[6] including disrupted cultural traditions, language loss, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, and physical illness.[7]

The cultural and historical context of intergenerational trauma is also significant, as certain groups may be more vulnerable to experiencing this due to traumatic events such as systemic oppression and discrimination. For example, Indigenous people[8] worldwide have experienced a significant amount due to colonization, forced relocation, and the residential school system. This trauma, particularly on school-age children, has had a profound impact on their mental and physical health, as well as their cultural identity and sense of belonging.

Intergenerational trauma may make it difficult for individuals and communities to trust outsiders or individuals from other groups. This can lead to further social isolation and a lack of access to support and resources that could help them recover.

Addressing and healing from intergenerational trauma requires a deep understanding of how trauma has impacted the community and a willingness to engage in challenging and uncomfortable conversations.

On Individuals

what is generational trauma
Trauma can affect individual development.

Intergenerational trauma can deeply affect an individual’s development, causing them to experience a range of negative consequences such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other mental health issues. This can cause them to feel disconnected from their family and cultural roots.

Research shows that trauma can be inherited epigenetically,[9] meaning that it can affect the expression of genes in future generations. The impact can also be felt in interpersonal relationships, as individuals may struggle to form healthy attachments and maintain social connections.

On Families

what is generational trauma
Generational trauma can affect family well-being.

Intergenerational trauma has been shown to profoundly affect family well-being and create tension and reactivity within the family unit. Psychological trauma, such as adverse childhood experiences, may be passed from family members to children through the transmission of negative beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes, creating a legacy through multiple generations until the cycle is broken.

Research has found[10] that individuals who have experienced trauma in their past, such as witnessing domestic violence or childhood trauma, are more likely to have difficulties with emotional regulation and struggle to form healthy relationships.

Children affected by intergenerational trauma may face various challenges, including a lack of emotional support and guidance, low self-esteem, developmental delays, and difficulty regulating emotions. The trauma may also contribute to issues of self-harm and suicide.

Dealing With Generational Trauma

Healing intergenerational trauma requires a long-term commitment to healing and recovery. It is essential to break the cycle of trauma by identifying and addressing the root causes. One way to achieve this is through education and awareness. Understanding the history of past traumatic events can help individuals and communities acknowledge trauma’s impact on their lives.

Therapy is another practical approach to addressing generational trauma.[11] It provides a safe and supportive environment to explore and process emotions related to traumatic experiences. Group therapy can benefit people and give them a sense of belonging and validation.

Self-care[12] is also crucial in dealing with any kind of stress or trauma. Practices such as meditation, exercise, and time in nature can help individuals reduce stress and promote healing. Family support is vital as well. Having supportive family members and friends can provide a sense of safety and stability, which is essential in recovery.

Recognizing that healing from intergenerational trauma is not a one-size-fits-all approach is essential. Each individual and community has unique experiences and needs. However, with a combination of education, therapy, self-care, and support, it is possible to break the cycle of trauma and begin the healing process.

When To Get Professional Help

If you notice that your generational trauma is impacting your ability to function in society, such as having difficulty maintaining a job or building relationships, seeking help from a mental health professional help can be life-changing. 

A professional therapist or online counseling can help you identify the root cause of your generational trauma and develop strategies to manage and overcome it. You can learn coping mechanisms through therapy to handle difficult emotions and rebuild your life.

It is also crucial to seek assistance from mental health professionals if you use substances such as drugs or alcohol to cope with your emotions. Substance abuse can compound your issues and make it challenging to recover. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek help immediately.

The Bottom Line

Generational trauma is a complex phenomenon that can manifest in various ways and affects individuals, communities, and even entire societies. It is crucial to recognize its existence and work towards addressing its root causes to promote healing and moving forward as a healthy and happy generation.

A combination of community recognition and support, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes can help trauma survivors suffering from the effects of generational trauma begin to heal.

If you or someone you know is struggling, remember it is possible to learn how to break generational trauma. It may take time, but support from loved ones and professional resources can be invaluable in rebuilding your life. Take small daily steps towards healing for yourself and future generations.


+ 12 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. Hamid UIllah, Ahmad, H., Zoaib Habib Tharwani, Sean Kaisser Shaeen, Zainab Syyeda Rahmat and Mohammad Yasir Essar (2023). Intergenerational trauma: A silent contributor to mental health deterioration in Afghanistan. [online] doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2905.
  2. Alhassen, S., Chen, S.-W., Lamees Alhassen, Phan, A., Khoudari, M., Angele De Silva, Huda Barhoosh, Wang, Z.-T., Marie, C., Shapiro, E., Henrich, C., Wang, Z., Mutesa, L., Baldi, P., Abbott, G.W. and Alachkar, A. (2021). Intergenerational trauma transmission is associated with brain metabotranscriptome remodeling and mitochondrial dysfunction. [online] 4(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02255-2.
  3. Scholarship@western, S., Pickel, L. and Rodger, S. (2012). The Aftermath of Intergenerational Trauma: Substance Use Risk The Aftermath of Intergenerational Trauma: Substance Use Risk and Resiliency and Resiliency. [online] Available at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1613&context=etd.
  4. Roth, M., Neuner, F. and Elbert, T. (2014). Transgenerational consequences of PTSD: risk factors for the mental health of children whose mothers have been exposed to the Rwandan genocide. [online] 8(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-4458-8-12.
  5. Luke, Fraser, T., Kitchenham, A. and Verna Lynn McDonald (2018). Hidden Burdens: a Review of Intergenerational, Historical and Complex Trauma, Implications for Indigenous Families. [online] 11(2), pp.173–186. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-016-0117-9.
  6. Evans-Campbell, T. (2016). Historical Trauma in American Indian/Native Alaska Communities: A Multilevel Framework for Exploring Impacts on Individuals, Families, and Communities – Teresa Evans-Campbell, 2008. [online] Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260507312290?journalCode=jiva.
  7. Solomon, T.G.A., Starks, R.R.B., Attakai, A., Molina, F., Cordova-Marks, F., Kahn-John, M., Antone, C.L., Flores, M. and Garcia, F. (2022). The Generational Impact Of Racism On Health: Voices From American Indian Communities. Health Affairs, 41(2), pp.281–288. doi:https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01419.
  8. Urrieta, L. (2019). Indigenous Reflections on Identity, Trauma, and Healing: Navigating Belonging and Power. [online] 3(2), pp.26–26. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy3020026.
  9. Elisabetta Dozio, Feldman, M., Cécile Bizouerne, Drain, E., Mathilde Laroche Joubert, Mansouri, M., Marie Rose Moro and Ouss, L. (2020). The Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma: The Effects of Maternal PTSD in Mother-Infant Interactions. [online] 11. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.480690.
  10. Yehuda, R. and Lehrner, A. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. [online] 17(3), pp.243–257. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20568.
  11. Mooren, T., Elisa van Ee, Hein, I. and Bala, J. (2023). Combatting intergenerational effects of psychotrauma with multifamily therapy. [online] 13. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.867305.
  12. Posluns, K. and Terry Lynn Gall (2020). Dear Mental Health Practitioners, Take Care of Yourselves: a Literature Review on Self-Care. [online] 42(1), pp.1–20. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-019-09382-w.
Sarah Ryan

Medically reviewed by:

Kathy Shattler

Sarah completed her Nutrition studies in 2011, followed by a post graduate in Biology and Health Education. She is passionate about Health Education, and a mental health advocate. She believes that with the right kind of information, support, and empathy, people are more likely to be able to stay on track to making positive changes in their lives.

Medically reviewed by:

Kathy Shattler

Journal of Physical Education and Sport

Trusted Source

Go to source

SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

Trusted Source

Go to source

African Journals Online

Non-profit Platform for African Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of The American Board of Family Medicine

American Board of Family Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

Informit

RMIT University Library

Trusted Source
Go to source

European Food Safety Authority

Science, Safe food, Sustainability

Trusted Source
Go to source

OrthoInfo

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Trusted Source
Go to source

American Academy of Family Physicians

Strengthen family physicians and the communities they care for

Trusted Source
Go to source

Agricultural Research Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Trusted Source
Go to source

The American Journal of Medicine

Official Journal of The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Lippincott Journals

Subsidiaries of Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute on Aging

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Translational Research

The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cell

An All-science Publisher

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of Translational Medicine

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

Federal Trade Commission

Protecting America's Consumers

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Human Genome Research Institute

Database From National Institute Of Health

Trusted Source
Go to source

Food Production, Processing and Nutrition

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

BMC Gastroenterology

BioMed Central

Part of Springer Nature
Go to source

ACS Publications

A Division of The American Chemical Society

Trusted Source
Go to source

Annual Reviews

Independent, Non-profit Academic Publishing Company

Trusted Source
Go to source

PubChem

National Center for Biotechnology Information

National Library of Medicine
Go to source

PLOS Journals

Nonprofit Publisher of Open-access Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Thieme E-books & E-Journals

Peer-reviewed & Open Access Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences

Peer-reviewed International Journal Publishes

Trusted Source
Go to source

Royal Society of Chemistry Publishing Home

Chemical Science Journals, Books and Database

Trusted Source
Go to source

Frontiers

Publisher of Peer-reviewed Articles in Open Acess Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

De Gruyter

German Scholarly Publishing House

Trusted Source
Go to source

Hindawi

Open Access Research Journals & Papers

Trusted Source
Go to source

Oilseeds and Fats, Crops and Lipids

EDP Sciences

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cambridge Core

Cambridge University Press

Trusted Source
Go to source

FoodData Central

U.S. Department Of Agriculture

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of the American Heart Association

Peer-reviewed Open Access Scientific Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The Americans with Disabilities Act

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

Trusted Source
Go to source

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Organization of Food and Nutrition Professionals

tr
Go to source

Sage Journals

Database From Sage Publications

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute of Drug Abuse

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The ClinMed International Library

A Repository and an Open Access Publisher for Medical Research

Trusted Source
Go to source

The Royal Society Publishing

United Kingdom's National Academy of Sciences

Trusted Source
Go to source

APA PsycNet

Database From American Psychological Association

Trusted Source
Go to source

The Pharma Innovation Journal

Peer-reviewed And Refereed Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Peer-reviewed Bimonthly Journal

Trusted Source
Go to source

British Pharmacological Society

Journals - Wiley Online Library

Trusted Source
Go to source

American Psychological Association

Scientific and Professional Organization of Psychologists

Trusted Source
Go to source

AAP Publications

Database From American Academy of Pediatrics

Trusted Source
Go to source

Karger Publishers

Academic Publisher of Scientific and Medical Journals and Books

Trusted Source
Go to source

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Database From Cambridge University

Trusted Source
Go to source

National Institute of Mental Health

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

MDPI

Publisher of Open Access Journals

Trusted Source
Go to source

Bulletin of the National Research Centre

Part of Springer Nature

Trusted Source
Go to source

The New England Journal of Medicine

Massachusetts Medical Society

Trusted Source
Go to source

Economic Research Service

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Trusted Source
Go to source

MedlinePlus

Database From National Library of Medicine

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

National Institute of Health

An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Trusted Source
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

The BMJ

Weekly Peer-reviewed Medical Trade Journal

The British Medical Association
Go to source

The British Psychological Society

The British Psychological Society is a charity registered in England

Database From Wiley Online Library
Go to source

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

PubMed

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source

DailyMed

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source

Google Scholar

Go to source

Science.gov: USA.gov for Science

Government Science Portal

Go to source

ResearchGate

Social Network Service For Scientists

Find and share research
Go to source

American Heart Association

To be a rentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives

Go to source

BioMed Central

Research in progress

Go to source

JAMA Network

Home of JAMA and the Specialty Journals of the American Medical Association

Go to source

Springer Link

Database From Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Springer - International Publisher Science, Technology, Medicine
Go to source

ODS

Database from Office of Dietary Supplements

National Institutes of Health
Go to source

Federal Trade Commission

Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition and Economics
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database From U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Governmental Authority
Go to source

Oxford Academic Journals

Oxford University Press

Trusted Source
Go to source

Taylor & Francis Online

Peer-reviewed Journals

Academic Publishing Division of Informa PLC
Go to source

WHO

Database from World Health Organization

Go to source

Journal of Neurology

Peer-reviewed Medical Journal

American Academy of Neurology Journal
Go to source

ScienceDirect

Bibliographic Database of Scientific and Medical Publications

Dutch publisher Elsevier
Go to source

Wiley Online Library

American Multinational Publishing Company

Trusted Source
Go to source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. National Public Health Agency

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

Trusted Source

Database from U.S. National Library of Medicine

U.S. Federal Government
Go to source

U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Federal Agency

U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Go to source

PubMed Central

Database From National Institute Of Health

U.S National Library of Medicine
Go to source
Feedback

Help us rate this article

Thank you for your feedback

Keep in touch to see our improvement