The Kids of Dysfunctional Families & their traumas

Breaking the Cycle: Understanding and Overcoming the Trauma of Growing Up in a Dysfunctional Family

As a child growing up in a dysfunctional family, I never realized the impact it would have on my adult life. It wasn't until I found myself struggling to form healthy relationships, that I realized my childhood experiences had played a big role in shaping the person I had become.

I grew up in a household where communication was scarce, and when it did happen it was usually through yelling and arguments. Trust was also a foreign concept as my parents were constantly lying and manipulating each other. As a result, I found it hard to trust others and had difficulty communicating effectively with my partner.

In addition, the negative messages and conditioning within my family had a huge impact on my self-worth and self-esteem. I constantly felt like I was never enough and found it hard to accept compliments or positive feedback.

Furthermore, I had never learned the importance of setting boundaries. I found myself constantly saying yes to everyone and everything, even when it meant neglecting my own needs and wants. This made it hard to assert myself and advocate for myself.

Lastly, managing my emotions was a constant struggle. In my family, emotions were not discussed or acknowledged, and as a result, I had never learned how to cope with my own emotions. I would often find myself overwhelmed by my feelings, and would have no idea how to handle them.

I realized that in order to move forward and live the life I wanted, I had to address these issues. I sought therapy, where I worked through my past traumas and learned how to recognize and change the negative patterns I had learned in my childhood. I also built a strong support system, learned effective communication and boundary setting skills, and engaged in self-care practices. It was not an easy journey, but it was worth it. Today, I am in a happy and healthy relationship, have a positive self-image and have learned to manage my emotions in a healthy way. I am no longer a victim of my past, but a survivor.