Member-only story
Emotional Overwhelm and Self-Harming Behavior
It’s time to seek peace with yourself
Everyone experiences being overwhelmed at times. Perhaps your job has become more complicated while something is happening at home. However, emotional overwhelm can cause enormous problems for those who experience it and can make self-harming more likely.
This article will focus on emotional overwhelm and how it influences self-harming behavior.
What is Complex Trauma
We cannot discuss self-harm and emotional overwhelm without first talking about complex trauma. Complex trauma involves pain that occurs in childhood and can be experienced by adults as well.
In childhood, complex trauma is caused by living in a home where the child is not protected or cared about. The childhood hurt and betrayal that come with complex trauma leave the person feeling alone, disconnected, and sometimes filled with self-hate or disgust.
Some people recognize from early childhood that, in adulthood, their behaviors and choices are directly linked to what happened to them as a child. Others remain unaware that their childhood has caused them great harm until much later in life. Either way, complex trauma leaves scars that cannot be forgotten but can be treated.