The Ripple Effect: An Example of How Trauma Works

So for the purposes of this post and possibly others, I'd like you to meet a fictional test subject who's name will be Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers is an unemployed, divorced, 37 year old man living in a government sponsored flat in Chicago. Steve is chronically depressed and has suicidal tendencies. Now obviously, these things didn't happen overnight. Earlier in his life, there was an event which triggered another event, which led to where he is now. For instance, if he was physically abused as a child, it may have effected his grades. This drop in grades could have led to him getting a low-earning blue collar job as an adult. Now, there's nothing too bad about the first ripple, because it's a physical effect, not a mental one. However, let's say that Steve has a girlfriend who he has been seeing a long time. After being abused by his parent/parents, he has a fear of intimacy and is unable to express his emotions with people. Their relationship fades, and Steve turns to alcoholism to dull the pain. Feeling completely alone, he quits his job and lives in the slums drinking away his unemployment checks. As you can see, the secondary ripples are far more drastic and result from the emotional trauma he suffered as a child. Now, this is only one case of the way child trauma can effect a person's life. I hope to share more as my research continues.