Fears of social situations
When we grow up in circumstances where interacting with others is scary, it’s customary to grow up with a fear of repeating these exchanges. Studies show that childhood trauma contributes to Social Anxiety Disorder or SAD.
Parental abuse and emotional neglect directly relate to the onset of SAD. Victims of childhood trauma who demonstrate social withdrawal often act like this out of anxiety and fear.
SAD patients report feeling “an intense, persistent fear of constantly being judged by others and watched” and may isolate themselves to prevent this from happening.
Avoiding relationships or needing to “fix” others
If we were abandoned or hurt at some point in our childhoods, a fear of this happening again can keep us from getting too close to others.
And family trauma survivors who are raised in environments filled with dysfunction might harbor the need to heal and help others into their adult relationships.
