M5
Slide 3
CONTENT
12-15 MIN
Trauma, Chronic Stress and Neurobiological Dysregulation
1. Trauma Across the Life Course
For many people experiencing homelessness, trauma is not a single past event. It is cumulative and layered.
Trauma may include:
Childhood neglect or abuse
Exposure to domestic or community violence
Institutional experiences (foster care, prison, psychiatric wards)
Loss of housing and social status
Street violence and exploitation
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
Rejection due to sexual orientation or gender identity
Chronic poverty and insecurity
These experiences often accumulate over years. The result is not only psychological distress — but physiological adaptation to prolonged threat.
Trauma is therefore not simply an emotional memory. It becomes embedded in the nervous system.