The Use of Maladaptive Coping Strategies Survivors of repetitive early trauma are likely to instinctively continue to use the same self-protective coping strategies that they employed to shield themselves from psychic harm at the time of the traumatic experience. Symptoms represent the client's attempt to cope the best way they can with overwhelming feelings. We humans are incredibly adaptive creatures. Often, if we help the survivor explore how behaviors are an adaptation, we can help them learn to substitute a less problematic behavior. Severe trauma can have a major impact on the course of life.
Childhood trauma can cause the disruption of basic developmental tasks.
The developmental tasks being learned at the time the trauma happens can help determine what the impact will be. The normal physiological responses to extreme stress lead to states of physiologic hyperarousal and anxiety. We humans are incredibly adaptive. Cutting edge neurological research is beginning to show to what extent trauma effects us on a biological and hormonal basis as well as psychologically and behaviorally. Research suggests that in trauma, interruptions of childhood development and hypervigilance of our autonomic systems are compounded and reinforced by significant changes in the hard-wiring of the brain.