How Childhood Trauma Can Linger

Childhood experiences, particularly trauma, can shape our sense of self, our idea of home, and how we navigate adulthood, even when outward success has been achieved. Sir Mo Farah’s story is a striking example.

According to a BBC documentary, Sir Mo Farah’s real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin, but he was trafficked to the UK bearing the stolen identity of another child, one named Mohamed Farah. At the age of 12, having barely attended school, he was enrolled at Feltham Community College. While in year 7, he disclosed to his PE teacher, Alan Watkinson, the abuse he was experiencing and how he had arrived in the UK.

Thanks to that disclosure, social services intervened. He was removed from the family that had trafficked him and fostered by another Somali family, ending the abusive ordeal he had endured since arriving in the UK. That turning point marked the beginning of a new life. Still, being separated from close family members, he was unaware that he had a twin brother still in Somalia. Against the odds, he went on to become one of Britain’s greatest athletes: Sir Mo Farah, multiple Olympic champion.

Sir Brendan Foster called it “an amazing, successful story of someone overcoming adversity” in an interview with the BBC.

Trauma does not always end when circumstances change. It can remain with us in our memory and can shape how we see the world long after the events that led to the trauma. Sir Mo Farah’s reflections make this clear.

“I didn’t have a childhood. Which is sad, but it’s about what you do now,” he says. “Years later I’d be daydreaming, watching my kids. They’d be nine, say, and I’d be thinking about what I was doing at nine. We have this nice house, nice car, but I [had been] sleeping in a tiny room with six people on a mattress.”

His memories of growing up in a deprived state of servitude in London kept replaying in his mind.

When we consciously or unconsciously re-experience the past, replaying memories tied to events or places we once lived in or visited, we may be experiencing cognitive immobility. This may leave us feeling psychologically stuck in the past, and can be distressing, especially if we are unaware of its impact on our present life.

It could be argued that Sir Mo’s childhood experience in London continues to shape his perception of safety and sense of belonging. For instance, this might make it difficult for him to view the city as secure, despite his current circumstances having changed. Now living in Qatar with his family, he believes it offers a safer environment for his children.

This story illustrates how past experiences shape our sense of safety, trust, and belonging, and could influence not only our emotions but also the decisions we make. As Shakespeare wrote, “What is past is prologue.” The past does not disappear; it continues to influence how we think, feel, and act in the present.

Sir Mo recently shared that there were times when his wife, Tania, noticed him deep in thought and asked what was on his mind. When he opened up, she encouraged him to seek therapy, even though he hesitated.

According to the report, Sir Mo said:

“Honestly, running was my therapy. I never went to see someone, but the best thing for me was to understand how it happened. If it wasn’t for my wife, and seeing my kids, I’d never have done anything.”

Sir Mo described running as his therapy and his wife and children as helping him face his past. While understanding what happened can be a decisive first step towards healing, that alone may not be enough. Following his wife’s advice to seek therapy might have helped him process his past experience more fully and alleviate the emotional scars he bears today. Seeking professional help is a vital part of the healing process.

The key features of cognitive immobility include: (1) persistent re-experiencing and reconstruction of past events or life situations left behind; (2) psychological fixation on the past; and (3) a disrupted sense of identity and home. These elements resonate with some aspects of Sir Mo’s experience. Understanding which stage of cognitive immobility someone might be in can help clarify how best to support them. His story provides a helpful illustration of how unresolved memories can continue to shape one’s present.

Recognising what happened, how it happened, and its lingering effects can open pathways to sustainable healing when met with compassionate support from loved ones and professional help.

To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.