Did You Have a Happy Childhood (12 and Under)?

[JasonP]

I had a great childhood when I was 12 and under and then things got screwed up when I was 13 and I had bouts of depression, took too much medication for it later on as an adult and got T. Right now I am coping better than I have in a long time and I am looking back and seeing how great it was as a kid and how I wish I could have done some things different if only I knew what I know now.

 

[Beste]

I should have had a happy one but I was always "different". I really do not know why but I never smiled much, laughed or enjoyed being with my friends. I always rather being alone in my room. I never liked my body, my look and my thoughts. I used to envy my friends for no reason. I'm a girl and I remember I always chose to play soccer with my boyfriends and our neighbours used to make fun of me. I dressed like a little boy.

Then when I reached my 18, I gained GAD. I do suspect my childhood is the real culprit of it. I used many SSRI and then I'm here. Tinnitus. I wish my life could have been different..

 

[derpytia]

I had a good and bad childhood. A lot of traumatic things happened to me, I was bullied a lot and we were always worrying about money. Plus I had nice people who were really bad at teaching for elementary school teachers so I was behind in math for a few years. Didn't learn multiplication or division till 4th grade. I'm serious.
Then of course I'm my mother's only child and she had a crap life so she overprotected me and smothered me when I was just trying to be as normal as possible and go out and do things. I wanted to take karate and do so many other things and my mother never let me. She still doesn't like me driving because she believes I'll get in an accident and die for sure. My childhood had its unforgettable fun moments but it certainly wasn't the ideal childhood. I'm all mentally messed up now.

 

[Chilly]

No
I have been through physical abuse
I was bullied by my sister (who is 9 years older than me)
And my mother used to call me ugly

I like myself now better than when i was a child
So i guess i will never choose to go through my childhood again

 

[hartje5]

I was a very shy, obedient, sweet but a bit lonely child. My parents had an abusive relationship. A lot of fighting, domestic violence. On the outside we were a very successful wealthy happy family, big house, no material needs what so ever. But on the inside things weren't that nice. My father was a very explosive unpredictable man and I was a very sensitive girl. Not a good combination. My adolescence was better. I had a lot of friends and was a popular kid. Until my father committed suicide and I lost everything. Our house, my horse, my friends. I was 17 and had to do it all by myself. But I did it, I managed. I have a very happy marriage. I'm married to a stable friendly man, we have beautiful children. Things where good, until my health problems started. And here I am....having the most difficult time of my life. Wondering if I ever would have been here on this forum if I had a happy and relaxed childhood.

 

[Mahr]

Childhood was not that great. I was different; didn't like sports, had no friends. My father had an accident when I was four, so I cannot remember him who he was. (brain injury). My uncle was my second father in a way untill he killed himself on Easter morning. After that, I was allone. Now I understand, being a HSP, that the things which happened make such a big impression on me. In a way I began to build a wall around my hart and would let no one in. That wall is gone now, and I am who I am.

 

[nimx]

Yup. Traumatic childhood, but mostly teenagehood. And yea, if you are asking this regarding T, well it "could be" related, just another possible cause, as long as childhood and teenagehood traumatic experience are shaping (the wrong way) a developing brain. Lot of research is being done actually about this issue, just have a look on internet about it just for this last year. These early traumas shape your personality, various emotional and neurological disregulations and you are more predisposed to health issues. Just to cite a famous research on foster care children, 68% of them have mental issues, 41% of them have chronic (!) health issues, 25% of them have ptsd (3 times more than vietnam veterans !). And still there is some ignorant (also some researcher) who say "Well maybe they just had an underlying problem and trauma brought it out". Yea, what a coincidence, more than 7 out of 10 children from foster care have or will develop psychological, neurological, emotional or physical problems, how unlucky.

 

[volsung37]

Childhood wasn't so great. Mother was alcoholic and father a bit distant. We were pretty isolated socially with no close relatives around. Materially we were ok. There were also the 'troubles' here in N Ireland which wasn't so great either.

 

[ruben ruiz]

I went through PTSD as a child. I saw and was involved with over the top brutality. Father psychopathic. Beats on everything and everyone. I remember being in a state of perpetual fear.