Child Maltreatment Transforming into Self-Inflicted Harm

Child Maltreatment's Pathway to Self-Inflicted Harm

In many cases, individuals find themselves repeating harmful patterns of behaviour, such as self-harm or entering abusive relationships. This phenomenon, known as repetition compulsion, can stem from traumatic experiences in childhood.

Abuse, a harmful behaviour that is complex on a psychoemotional level, can leave deep scars. A child's perception of reality is significantly influenced by caregivers, and traumatic experiences can shape their beliefs and emotions for the rest of their lives.

For instance, a child may question their caregiver's love and protection, which can easily morph into harmful beliefs like "I am unlovable" or "I don't matter." In some cultures, caregivers are protected, leading to the child's sanity and dignity being sacrificed. Caregivers, often responsible for the traumatic experience, may invalidate or minimize the child's experiences.

Unprocessed rage, hurt, sadness, loneliness, betrayal, and fear can become worse over time due to other experiences and relationships. In extreme cases, people may resort to self-harmful behaviour or acts against their healthy self-interest, including hurting others. The hurt tends to pile up, the beliefs tend to become stronger, the behaviours tend to become more automatic, more natural, and more unconscious. In some cases, this can lead to suicide.

However, there is hope. Organizations and therapists offering support for adults dealing with the consequences of childhood maltreatment and self-harm are increasingly available. Specialized trauma centers like Wendepunkt e.V. provide therapeutic help for children, adolescents, and adults in overcoming traumatic experiences. They also offer family and educational support, prevention programs, and training for professionals.

Trauma-focused mentalization-based therapy (MBT-TF) is an emerging group therapy approach targeting complex posttraumatic stress disorder with a focus on social experience and symptom treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and integrated addiction and trauma therapies are also used to address trauma-related issues in adults.

When a person starts working on themselves, they can become more aware, experience changes in their thinking, emotional life, behaviour, and relationships. They can endure and regulate painful emotions better, resolve certain things that seemed unbearable or were invisible before, and rediscover themselves. Unrecognized and unprocessed trauma in childhood often leads to dissociation, but with the right support, individuals can heal and live a happier and more truthful life where self-harm, self-sacrifice, aggressive behaviour, and self-loathing are not considered as an option anymore.

Many are not aware of the connection between their childhood environment and how they feel, think, and live as adults. It is important to remember that healing is possible, and seeking help is a courageous step towards a healthier, happier future.