Many people who struggle with depression and anxiety often wonder about the meaning and purpose of their lives.
But people who experienced traumas ask these questions more often or earlier in life than others.
Siddhartha left his family with his wife and 12-year-old son to search for the truth and meaning in life.
One may ask what could be so important that he had to give up his life of wealth and prestige, as a prince, let alone his wife and his one and only son.
Not many think of the possible traumas behind Siddhartha’s decision.
How many of you know that a week after Siddhartha was born, his mother died, and his aunt had to raise him?
People ignore this fact because no one considers it a trauma to Siddhartha as a growing child.
It is a perfect example of Silent Trauma since Siddhartha may not have known the truth until later, which might have been a shock.
His wife and son may have been puzzled why their husband and father were banished from their life.
Similarly, many people who were adopted or born through sperm or egg donors can later experience trauma related to their identity and purpose in life.
Even successful people like Steve Jobs searched for answers about their purpose and direction in life through a spiritual quest.
If the care for children is abruptly interrupted for any reason or taken over by other than their biological parents, during their 18 months needed for a secure attachment with one exclusive caregiver, they tend to experience similar types of silent trauma that manifests its signs gradually.
Finding out the parents are not their biological parents can devastate children, who start showing signs of impact gradually and more later in life.
Many people go through a period of confusion after learning they were born through sperm or egg donors. They keep wondering and searching for the donors’ identities.
People who were adopted can go through the symptoms of PTSD, which can be considered the impact of Silent Trauma.
Many adopted children look for their birth parents to find the answers to why they have forsaken them. Steve Jobs traveled to India in 1974 to study Hinduism and Indian spirituality.
Eventually, he found his spiritual mentor, a Zen master Otogawa Kōbun in the U.S. Steve Jobs might have sought the answer about his life purpose through the help of his mentor.
We all know Steve Jobs was adopted by his adoptive parents, and he did not want to put a financial burden on them, by giving up his college after attending only one semester.
Interestingly, many people who develop the urge to seek the answers to the purpose of their living have experienced early traumas. Those who take on a life journey searching for meaning and purpose may have been trauma survivors.
It may include those from early childhood looking for the answer to various questions in life, or those who divert the impending question about the meaning of life through indulgence in work, business, or creative work of art.
To them, it must have been a survival question that had to be answered before any other questions.
Those who suffer from Silent Trauma find worldly success, including money, fame, and prestige, meaningless unless it can answer their fundamental questions of life.
Many of them testify they do not belong to this world, feeling like an alien from out of space.
Unfortunately, some start contemplating or even choose to end their life from early on despite their seemingly happy or successful life in others’ eyes.
The success failed to give them the true purpose and meaning of life enough to motivate them to go on in the face of momentary stresses in life, such as illness, failure, betrayal, or loss of loved ones.
Recognizing that trauma can significantly affect our need to search for meaning and purpose in life is essential.
It is because trauma can make us question our identity, our place in the world, and what we’re meant to do with our lives.
It can also make us feel disconnected from others and our sense of purpose until these impending questions are answered.
If you’re struggling with traumas in silent nature or feeling lost in your search for meaning and purpose, it’s important to seek help from someone who can guide you with their experience and expertise.
They can help you work through your trauma, educate you about them, process your emotions, and explore different avenues for finding purpose and meaning in your life.
Everyone’s journey toward finding meaning and purpose is different, and . it’s important to keep exploring until you find what resonates with you.