Can You Have Trauma Symptoms Without Experiencing Trauma?

In this article addressing the causes of traumatic symptoms, the author writes: "It is important to understand that trauma can be inherited independently of difficult family circumstances. A child can develop anxiety, depression, or other stress-related issues such as PTSD as a result of an inherited vulnerability rather than direct trauma." The author references research on secure mother-child attachment as key for childhood development, as well as a recent study out of Lehigh University, authored by Dr. Susan Woodhouse, showing that “good-enough” parenting is adequate for a child to develop a secure attachment to its mother.