Gen Z's Hot Take on Generational Trauma

K. Hyacinth, a pen name for Now's The Time's youngest team member gives her POV on the above mentioned topic.

A Note from Tara:

Let's start with what a "hot take" is. A hot take is an opinion or bold statement that the majority of society may find startling. Today's hot take is derived from our youngest team member, who wishes to remain anonymous, so that she can continue to bring POV's from her generation and discuss them in a safe container on a secure platform, as provided by Now's The Time. Readers can anticipate more content like this coming in the near future.

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By: K. Hyacinth

As a Gen Z member of the team at Now’s The Time, I wanted to give a younger perspective on a familiar topic here: Transgenerational Trauma (TGT). For those who may not be familiar with TGT, it refers to trauma from one generation being passed down to the next, whether psychologically, behaviorally, or even physiologically. While I do not claim to be a medical expert on the topic, I do understand it through my own encounters with Transgenerational Trauma. For that reason, I will be sharing my perspective based on my personal experiences.

Growing up, I became very interested in my family’s lineage — where they came from, when they came to the United States, and what they were like. Of course, as a child, you tend to receive more of a “Cliff Notes” version of family history than the full story. As I got older, I began learning the true extent of my family’s traumas, traumas that would not have been fully comprehended through younger ears.

Learning these things shifted my understanding of my ancestry. It made me reevaluate behaviors and dynamics within my own family unit that I may have noticed as a child but could never fully comprehend. It wasn’t until I started taking psychology classes in high school, and later minoring in psychology in college, that I began identifying the generational trauma that had impacted both my family and, in turn, myself.

However, learning about Transgenerational Trauma finally gave a name to the experiences I had been recognizing.

I’ve noticed that it is a topic that is harder for my parents’ generation to discuss than it is for mine, and even harder for my grandparents’. I attribute that to the stigma surrounding mental health awareness and the lack of knowledge on the subject. Research shows that those who have experienced trauma are more likely to struggle with mental health.

How can someone help themselves if they are not even able to identify what is happening? That is why further education on Transgenerational Trauma can help us better identify the traits of TGT and begin working through it.

Transgenerational Trauma is something that impacts us all. We are the direct result of our ancestors’ experiences, decisions, and traumas. However, that does not mean we cannot still forge our own paths. Our lineage is a part of all of us — that does not change — but it does not define us.