The Impact of Intergenerational Trauma on Eating Disorders

Research dating back generations has explored the impact of various forms of trauma, including race-based trauma, on families and offspring. People in healthcare professions, the judicial system, and behavioral health have rarely been educated in treating trauma that is not solely individual and acute. Statistics show that trauma can have an impact on brain development and its effects can define and limit a person from childhood through adulthood – affecting all areas of their life and their mental and physical health. An understanding of the social and local contexts of trauma can enrich relationships with coworkers, help improve the understanding of the root causes of behavioral issues in children, enable teachers to identify trauma effects that impact a child or adolescent’s ability to learn, and provide context for adaptive responses that may lead to risky behaviors and rupture relationships. Understanding how intergenerational trauma effects can hijack a person’s life can also lead to the recognition that intervening and treating trauma can bring many gifts.