Trans Generational Trauma
Each individual person inherits incredibly unique genetics from their parents. Our ancestral genetic links are passed down from generation to generation as a heritage bloodline containing our DNA can transfer through transgenerational trauma. From the DNA in the genes passed on by our biological parents, we inherit our emotional stress and trauma through the relationship we have with the world and how we cope with stress.
Transgenerational Trauma is transmitted in two ways. The Nature Principle is what we inherit or is genetic. For example, we know through epigenetics that our physical characteristics appear to be strongly influenced by the genetic make-up of our biological parents.
The Nurture Principle is what we learn under the guidance of our parents, through life experiences, and from other environmental influences.
An example of the Nature Principle is when a child carries the imprint or memory from a biological parent who lived through adversity and suffered trauma from that experience, either in the past or present. When we experience high levels of adversity for a duration of time, the hardship connected to the life experience becomes a stored trauma memory. This formation of a traumatic memory with its emotional upheaval and high levels of toxic stress, imprints as a recognised chemical alteration to the gene cells being produced at the time. These cells carry higher levels of stress hormones which are attached to the past trauma memory and become a cellular memory in the DNA. Trauma leaves a chemical mark on a person’s genes and the parent that experienced the stress before a child is conceived, transmits the toxic hormones stress to the child via genes that have gone through an epigenetic process. Even though the child did not directly experience the trauma, the genes from the biological parent hold a memory that ensures that high levels of stress remain in the cells. These children can then be more susceptible to mental health conditions as early adversity can influence our emotional and physical health for a lifetime.
An example of the Nurture Principle is when certain child-rearing and parenting practices lead to associated behavioural problems through exposure to violence, substance abuse, financial poverty, or slavery. Children learn how to act and respond to life from their parents’ examples as well as through other environmental influences. Our parents instil their values and beliefs in us and explain, or show, how to act, react and cope with life’s issues. When a parent has experienced shock, pain or distress connected to trauma, this impact creates trauma energy or a trauma memory that is stored at the cellular level within our mind, endocrine system and body, and is stimulated by high environmental stressors.
Many of us are unaware of deeply embedded patterns connected to transgenerational trauma and how the inherited cell trauma memory can affect us. Life’s pressures can cause physical and psychological distress, turning on the gene tags of stored toxic energy in our cells causing a ripple effect on how we react to and manage stress today. How we respond to certain situations or crisis can trigger and unlock behaviours which are stored in the DNA of our genes. When we become stressed, this can initiate unknown behaviour responses that seem out of character.
Nature and nurture describe two types of behaviour; that which stems from our DNA blueprint, and the other from our environmental conditioning. Both types cause us to think, act and react through our emotions, and determine how we cope with stress.
