“Don’t make me repeat myself…”

- History

We are products of our parents and their life experiences. This happens both psychologically and biologically.

In the 1940s, my grandfather worked on a ship in the Caribbean, and he had “a woman in every port.” When he had my father in Trinidad, my grandfather was never around and so my father grew up thinking being fatherless was normal. At a young age, he took on the burden of caring for his younger siblings in impoverished settings. Luckily, my father had the traits of perseverance, resourcefulness, and resiliency, and later in life he was able to forge a relatively prosperous livelihood. However, this undue burden of responsibility from a young age robbed many aspects of his childhood that would haunt him and his relationship with family for the rest of his life. 

I was born in Trinidad, but at the age of five, my father shipped me to boarding school in England. He thought it was ok that I wasn’t around my real parents, thereby continuing the transgenerational fatherless cycle. The culture shock and not being around my familiar family was quite a traumatic experience for me and even though I got a world-class education, I often wonder if it was worth the emotional toll. 

I recently had a daughter and after growing up in England with my blood family being over 4,000 miles away in Venezuela and Trinidad, I too ended up having this mentality that children "don't need both parents to be constantly around." It helped me feel less guilty if I had to separate from my daughter's mother after struggling to maintain the relationship. But my partner had the complete opposite upbringing, with both her parents being together and present up until today, and she instilled in me the importance and value of raising our daughter as a family unit. Subsequently, this notion helped me become aware of and understand my hidden trauma, which unknowingly shaped much of my identity and actions throughout my life. I was able to make the resolute decision to break one of my family's transgenerational trauma cycles once and for all.

In this blog post, we will explore the phenomenon of transgenerational trauma and its impact on individuals, families, and society. We will also examine its causes, symptoms, methods of transfer and most importantly, the many potential ways of healing.

What is Transgenerational Trauma?

As confirmed by my upbringing and some of our patients’ stories, transgenerational trauma is a very real condition. It refers to the transmission of various degrees of trauma from one generation to another from experiences of intense stress, violence, or abuse such as from slavery, wars, genocide, natural disasters, and other forms of severe adversity. These negative experiences and energies show up biologically, socially, mentally, or emotionally and can leave deep-seated and often invisible scars on the psyche of those who experience them, as well as their children who may never have experienced the trauma. The children may grow up with a sense of guilt, anxiety, or fear without understanding why. The cycle continues unless someone intervenes and breaks the pattern.

How does Transgenerational Trauma Get Passed Down to Different Generations? 

Epigenetics explains how experiences (particularly traumatic ones) can have lifelong and transgenerational impacts. Epigenetics is the study of how behavioral and environmental events in someone's life can alter the way their genes are read and expressed, without making modifications to their DNA code. This explains why genetically identical twins, that are raised separately, can exhibit different behaviors, skills, health, and achievements. 

During the experience of trauma, the DNA that makes up a parent's genes accumulates tags on the chemical coating of the chromosomes in the cells and they represent a biological "signature" of whatever trauma the parents experienced. The collection of these chemical tags is known as the “epigenome" and these tags turn genes on or off, offering a way of adapting to changing conditions without inflicting a more permanent shift in our genomes. These alterations can manifest in many ways, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse.

While researchers don't fully understand transgenerational trauma, it is understood that two prevalent categories influence the passing on of traumas: 

Epigenetic changes

Epigenetic changes occur when certain genes are expressed in future generations by parents passing on "signature" trauma tags in their cells to their children. In other words, “the body keeps the score.”

This may explain why parents who experience severe trauma like the Rwandan genocide, or the Jewish Holocaust are more likely to have children with physical and mental health conditions such as depression or PTSD, even though the children were not present for the trauma event. For instance, a study concluded that pregnant mothers who lived near the World Trade Center during 9/11 conceived babies who had higher stress hormone levels. 

In another notable study, mice were exposed to the smell of acetophenone (a similar smell to almonds and cherries), followed by a small electric shock. The mice eventually developed an association between the scent and pain, causing them to shudder when exposed to acetophenone, even in the absence of a shock. These mice consequently passed down the reaction to the smell to their offspring and even their grandoffspring, even though these next generations had never been exposed to the acetophenone.

It is logical that we would pass on our experiences to our children in this manner. The innate drive to survive and safeguard our offspring is powerful, and this transgenerational effect aligns with a certain evolutionary logic. However, complications arise when a beneficial biological impulse starts to disrupt our daily existence, particularly when we are unaware of its origin.

Psychological transference  

Psychological transference refers to how a parent with unresolved trauma or unhealthy coping mechanisms interacts with their child during their upbringing. Kids whose parents experienced trauma are more likely to grow up with a parent who is unstable, emotionally distant, or anxious. These erratic parenting behaviors can impede the child’s ability to develop a reasonable sense of safety, predictability, and comprehension of the world in a healthy manner. Adult children whose parents were diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often describe damaged, preoccupied parents who were emotionally unavailable when needed.

The Symptoms of Transgenerational Trauma 

Transgenerational trauma can have a wide range of symptoms that can impact individuals in different ways. Some people may not even realize that they are experiencing the effects of trauma that were passed down to them from previous generations. The symptoms may include the following:

1. PTSD: dissociation and numbing.

2. Anxiety and depression: including separation anxiety, social avoidance, and withdrawal.

3. Guilt and shame: people may feel guilty and ashamed for things they haven't even done.

4. Physical symptoms: such as headaches, digestive issues, muscle tension and chronic fatigue.

5. Self-sabotage: individuals may struggle with self-sabotaging and self-destructive behaviors.

6. Relationship issues: the trauma may affect the way a person views relationships, they may struggle with attachment issues, trust, and intimacy.

7. Lack of empathy: people may find it difficult to empathize with others, due to their own inner pain.

8. Addiction: substance abuse and other addictions can be common.

9. Unreasonable fear of injury or death.

PTSD is a common disorder experienced after trauma. It is important to consider the impact of stigma and discrimination on individuals who may be more vulnerable to developing PTSD. Therefore, trauma treatment should be customized to align with a person's cultural background and personal beliefs. Providers should be knowledgeable about how factors such as race, immigration status, housing insecurity, poverty, gender identity, sexual orientation, and age can influence the experience of ongoing trauma.

Understanding the symptoms of transgenerational trauma is the first step in the healing process. Once you recognize that your pain may be connected to your family's past, you can start working towards breaking the cycle of trauma and finding ways to heal.

How to Break the Cycle of Transgenerational Trauma

The vicious cycle can be broken by understanding the root cause. By bringing awareness to the past experiences of our ancestors, we can start to heal the wounds they left behind. It's important to acknowledge the impact of transgenerational trauma and to create a safe and non-judgmental space to process the pain it has caused.

Research has suggested that one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of transgenerational trauma is by undergoing psychotherapy in combination with ketamine therapy. By working with a trained therapist or counselor, people can learn coping mechanisms, healthy communication skills, and other tools that can help them to manage their emotional pain. Ketamine can help break down walls and open up the person to allow the trauma to surface so it can more easily be confronted. Ketamine also helps reset the brain, which leads to new perspectives and insights, allowing patients to maximize the tools provided to make life changes. 

Another approach is to initiate a dialogue with your parents regarding their personal experiences and how they managed to cope with them. Pay attention to any underlying patterns, attitudes, or stories within your family that you may also exhibit. Discuss these aspects with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist and explore alternative ways of coping or communicating. Foster a sense of empathy and compassion towards your family and the challenges they faced. Despite their imperfections, many of our ancestors worked tirelessly to provide us with a better life, and this should be acknowledged and embraced. Create a new narrative that reflects the values and beliefs you want your children to adopt about their family, themselves, and the world.

Other proven commonly used treatments for intergenerational trauma include:

Intergenerational trauma treatment model (ITTM) - The primary objective of the ITTM is to address the lingering effects of childhood trauma in parents or caregivers before involving the child in therapy. The parent or caregiver can be any adult who has had a long-term relationship with the child. By simultaneously treating both the child and the parent or caregiver, the ITTM aims to enhance the functioning and wellbeing of both generations. 

Trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy (TI-CBT) - This approach combines the use of psychoeducation and cognitive techniques to educate and empower children and adolescents. It teaches them how to effectively express themselves, develop cognitive coping skills to manage stressors, learn relaxation techniques, create, and process trauma narratives, and address behaviors that may negatively impact their mental well-being.

Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy - In EMDR treatment, participants can recall the traumatic memory without experiencing the distressing symptoms that are typically associated with it. It's not about forgetting the memory, but rather about reducing the emotional distress that comes with it. 

Ultimately, ending the cycle of transgenerational trauma requires a collective effort. By recognizing and addressing the impact of inherited trauma, we can work together to create a healthier, more supportive society for ourselves and future generations.

Ending the cycle of transgenerational trauma is not easy, but it's possible. Acknowledging the trauma and the impact it has had on the family is the first step. It's important to create a space where family members can talk openly about their feelings and experiences. It requires awareness and courage to face the inherited pain and transform it into strength.

If you connected with the above write-up, are curious, and need some guidance, psychedelic medicines such as Ketamine can really support this process of healing, self-discovery, and purpose. Click below to find out more.

Author: Dane Jackman

The Brazen Word is the personal blog of Dane Jackman that was born out of the fascinating insights gained from patients undergoing ketamine therapy at the Ketamine Lounge in Miami Beach and from noticing a very broken healthcare system firsthand. He focuses on changing the narrative about the superior benefits of ketamine medicine and other psychedelic drugs for mood disorders and other conditions. He brings a new perspective to the Western medical world by promoting spirituality as an equally effective and often overlooked therapeutic component in ketamine therapy.

Dane is now on a mission to share these stories and perspectives with the public and encourage everyone to question everything they have been taught in mainstream life.