When Childhood Trauma Becomes Chronic Illness: What New Research Reveals (opens in new tab)

A child can leave a room and never quite leave the emotional weather. Some studies explain. Some studies accuse. This one does both. A recent longitudinal study following more than four 4000 adults found that cumulative childhood adversity substantially increased the likelihood of developing both depression and chronic physical illness later in life. Not one or the other. Both. That finding deserves to be read twice. Because it does not merely say hardship affects mood. It suggests biography ...