What is Generational Trauma?

Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. That is the process by which environmental factors, like trauma or stress, can cause chemical changes in our DNA that are passed down through generations. Unlike traditional genetics, which is fixed, epigenetics involves modifications that influence how genes are expressed, often in response to traumatic experiences. This means that trauma isn’t just stored in memories, but can actually leave biological marks on our ancestors’ DNA, affecting how we respond to stress today. 

Generational trauma, also known as intergenerational or ancestral trauma, is the emotional and psychological pain that gets passed down from one generation to the next. It happens when a family or community experiences something deeply painful, like war, racism, displacement, poverty, or abuse, and never really gets the chance to process or heal from it. 

Many immigrant families experience generational trauma, usually by accident. I know in my family, there is a saying, “log kya kahenge.” In English, it literally translates to “what would people say?” I always wonder, though, who cares what people think? That mindset of what others may think has been passed around in my family for decades, and I think it is time that we stop using this mindset. 

That pain doesn’t just vanish. It gets passed down in subtle ways, through unspoken rules, constant pressure, emotional avoidance, or fear of failure. Even if you didn’t experience the original trauma, you may still carry the emotional weight of it.

You might feel the need to succeed at all costs, struggle with guilt when you rest, or find it hard to talk about your feelings. That’s not just your personality; it could be a learned survival pattern.

The good news? This cycle isn’t permanent. Just by being aware, asking questions, and allowing yourself to feel, you’re already starting to shift the narrative. You don’t have to carry everything your family never got to heal.

You’re not being dramatic. You’re not broken. You’re part of a generation that’s learning to heal — not just for ourselves, but for the ones who came before us, too.

References:

Gillespie, Claire. “Generational Trauma Might Explain Your Anxiety and Depression.” Health,13 Mar. 2025, www.health.com/condition/ptsd/generational-trauma. 

‌Yehuda, Rachel, and Amy Lehrner. “Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma Effects: Putative Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms.” World Psychiatry : Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2018, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6127768/.