From Generation to Generation: Understanding Trauma

Generational trauma has become an increasing topic of study as researchers correlate the symptoms of trauma to biology. Early research supports the theory that generational trauma is genetically passed down from parents to children, and so forth. In this episode, we explore the history of trauma in our family, through their journeys as refugees from Afghanistan. Each step in their journey has complied levels of high stress and trauma that has shaped their physiology, and we believe this has impacted us, the children of refugees, in ways beyond the surface level. Second-hand trauma has posed challenges to families dealing with symptoms of mental health issues that seem obscure and whose source are difficult to determine. However we believe that with the understanding of trauma, we can take a step back and re-evaluate our experiences in order to produce adequate conclusions about our mental health so that we can focus on improving our health. Join the conversation about trauma, and help us spread the message as we continue to learn about how this subject can become central to the lives of our diaspora communities. We seek to empower the conversation about mental health in order to destigmatize it, and work in community efforts to find solutions.