Inherited Family Trauma

Margaret Whichard
Jul 3, 2023
2 min read

Is #inherited family trauma the cause of mental

health problems in children and adults?

It didn’t start with you, but it can end with you is the premise of Mark Wolynn’s book It Didn’t Start with You. Wolynn offers a compelling theory of #inherited trauma and suggests tools for those who suffer. I’m not a mental health expert. I did not agree with everything in the book, but it offers evidence and hope for positive changes in the future.

1. Perhaps, our deepest fears, most destructive behaviors, and endless failures are not our fault. “I don’t know why I did that”

2. Is it possible that our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents #trauma chemically changed their DNA? Then passed it down to us.

3. This is referred to as #shared family consciousness or your blueprint. It is believed that your #DNA molecule possesses a consciousness of its own.

4. There’s overwhelming proof that stress has biological effects on the body, including the sperm & egg. The mother is sometimes blamed for everything; she is the one who carries the baby. A difficult pregnancy can have undesirable consequences. But a father can also have altered genes and their influence while a child is young is important as well.

5. #Epigenetics is the study of how our behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way our genes work. #Trauma doesn’t cause a #genetic mutation, but it is an alteration. The result can be a physical illness or a mental disorder.

6. Unconsciously, we sometimes repeat mistakes of the past (ours & our families). Though #Epigenetics may be a reason, it is not an excuse. See Amazon for more information about this book. Workbooks are available for exploring family history and suggested methods for breaking past patterns.

7. One behavior that seems to be passed down frequently is #sexual abuse, especially by parents who #sexually violate their young, innocent children. Anything that sheds more light on this harmful behavior warrants further review.