Turns out you can inherit your grandparents' trauma, even if you've never met them - here's how you can 'break the cycle'

A psychologist has shared how grandparents' trauma can be passed down through generations, explaining that "understanding our roots helps break the cycle".

It's no secret that our relationships with our parents and grandparents can impact our health and wellbeing. It's one of the reasons why new parents might be looking for tips for building a relationship with estranged grandparents - especially after research has shown that grandparents live longer if their children have kids later in life.

And having a close relationship with the grandparents of your kids can have a positive impact on you, too, as recent research has shown that mothers are less likely to struggle with mental health if their kids' grandparents live close by.

However, it turns out that grandparents' trauma can equally affect their children and grandchildren, in a much less positive way. For families who have experienced war, poverty, or left others behind when moving country in search of a better life, the scars can run deep, affecting even those who never experienced the trauma themselves.

Award-winning psychologist and host of the Therapised podcast, Dr Lalitaa Suglani, recently shared via Instagram the impact that grandparents' trauma can have on the third generation. She wrote, "From the 1st generation’s struggle with war and displacement to the 2nd generation grappling with abuse and racism. Now, the 3rd generation navigates the echoes - anxiety, depression, and the digital age’s unique challenges."

While the resulting mental health effects of generational trauma paint a rather bleak picture, Dr Lalitta added, "Understanding our roots helps break the cycle." She writes in her Instagram post, "As you focus on clearing your generational trauma, do not forget to claim your generational strengths. Your ancestors gave you more than just wounds."

Offering further insight into the issue, Dr Lalitaa explained to HuffPost UK, "The trauma experienced by our grandparents, such as the Partition of 1947 [the creation of India and Pakistan as two independent nations], can impact us through intergenerational trauma. This occurs when the effects of trauma are passed down from one generation to the next, influencing the mental, emotional, and even physical well-being of subsequent generations."

In this example, the displacement and fear experienced by those affected by the Partition may be internalised, and passed on to their children and grandchildren - resulting in a third generation that experiences anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and attachment difficulties.

Dr Lalitaa added that sharing stories about such traumatic events can contribute to a sense of fear and grief within families, and this can also be unconsciously passed down through generations. This can shape our worldview and beliefs about ourselves.

And Dr Lalitaa's Instagram post rang true for many of her followers, with one commenting "As a Southeast Asian woman with mixed grandparents who lived through British Burma, this resonates with me. Thank you for sharing," while another added, "Thank you this made me understand myself a little better".

Others praised Dr Lalitaa for shining a light on the issue, with one follower writing, "While generational trauma is gaining popularity, there is a dire need for more awareness regarding this. Helping people understand it by pointing out some factors that majorly affect the mental health of people in that generation is a great way to do this".

Another said, "Such a relevant and necessary read. Thank you."

In other news, it turns out one set of grandparents is more likely to spoil their grandchildren that the other, and we've looked at the science around the theory that grandparents love their grandkids more than their own children. We've also revealed that grandparents say they learn more from their grandkids than their own children.