Evidence Shows Trauma Can Be Passed Down To Future Generations Through Epigenetics
But it’s not all bad news
When we think of what we inherit genetically from our parents, traits like our smile or hair may come to mind first. Or perhaps our laugh or stubbornness. But what if we also took on their traumatic experiences? What if our children inherit them too, along with our own? Would we pay more attention to the experiences we have? What about how we treat each other?
For the last few decades, experts have wondered about this too. While still experimental and more research is needed, the evidence we have so far shows intergenerational trauma is something we might want to start paying attention to. But there is some good news, intergenerational trauma appears to be reversible. Plus, traumatic experiences aren’t the only ones passed down — positive ones are too.
What is Epigenetics?
We all know the notorious Nature vs. Nurture debate. Thankfully, I think most people can agree that it’s not one or the other. Both our genes and our environments impact who we become. The nature side regards our DNA, the traits, and health conditions that are genetically passed down to us from our family lines, which in turn impacts who we become.
