You’ve been feeling anxious lately, but you know you don’t have any of the telltale symptoms of an extreme anxiety disorder, like PTSD. We know from studying PTSD that feelings of anxiety can develop because of childhood trauma. Even the classic depiction of it involves being so bogged down by anxiety from a trigger that it mentally places you right back in your traumatic past.
But what about the anxiety that doesn’t seem connected to a specific event? The kind you can’t really put your finger on? You may ask yourself: do I have any underlying trauma that’s making me anxious? Let’s talk about the connection between childhood trauma and anxiety.
Telltale Signs of Anxiety
Trouble concentrating because of racing thoughts. (Disastrous “What if…?” scenarios.)
Feeling restless, irritable, or hypervigilant for all or most of the day.
Unexplained muscle tension and cramping.
Inability to control or deescalate feelings of intense worry.
How does childhood trauma connect to anxiety?
As therapists, we refer to different severities of trauma in different ways. “Big T” traumas are events we associate with PTSD, like exposure to violence, sexual abuse, or extreme neglect. “Little T” traumas are the subtle ways we experience pain as a child, like bullying, scapegoating, humiliation, non-life-threatening injuries, or losing important relationships.
Little T traumas aren’t as obviously threatening to our health as Big T traumas. However, in great numbers, they lay the groundwork for our brains to develop anxious thinking patterns as adults.
Being raised in an unpredictable, chaotic environment can heavily influence whether or not we develop anxiety as adults. This is an example of a Little T that, over time, can shape how a developing brain studies and navigates the world. Children may learn to feel out their parents’ mood before asking them for a need or trying to engage in conversation. Depending on the day, they can be met with calmness and compassion or anger and yelling. Examples of unpredictable home environments include…
Not knowing whether your parents would be under the influence when they got home.
Not knowing if dinner would be ready on time.
Moving homes frequently and/or on short notice.
As adults, these people learn to read the room anxiously before interacting with it. They may feel intense nervousness when they have to send a text, email, or something else that doesn’t guarantee a quick response, because they don’t know what to realistically expect from them. Their mind may jump to a worst-case scenario: they’re mad at me.
Anxious minds also have an unrealistic perception of their own physical sensations. They may stand up, get dizzy, and immediately assume they have a brain tumor, whereas someone without anxiety may brush it off as feeling tired, or a little dehydrated. Seeing their own health through a hypervigilant lense like this can lead to increased panic attacks.
We see anxiety in the brain as an oversized or overactive amygdala—the part of the brain in charge of threat detection and response. People with this condition tend to see threats where there are none, and they have difficulty calming themselves down.
What can you do about anxiety besides going to therapy?
Limit your caffeine intake and eat a regular, balanced diet.
Let out excess energy through exercise.
Keep a consistent sleep routine and schedule.
Relax your body with massages or mediation.
However, the best way to heal anxiety is by pairing these tactics with therapy. Digging up underlying childhood trauma is arduous work, especially if your brain is working against you by suppressing the memories that you don’t realize still affect you.
But don’t worry—I would never ask you to dive into darker waters alone.
Anxiety Therapy in Long Beach
Prospect Therapy is a queer + trans affirming therapy practice based in Long Beach, CA, with a focus on mental health for first-generation, immigrant, and bicultural communities. We continue to provide online therapy for a variety of mental wellness and relationship concerns to clients throughout the state of California. Learn more about how we bring lived experience to our work with people of all ages in our communities by requesting a consultation below.