Research finds that going through tough times as a kid can have a developmental impact on the brain. In the studies (referenced below), the adult brains of people who were raised in a stressful environment before the age of six were smaller than the brains of adults who had a less stressful childhood. This result was also impacted by the child’s ability to cope with the stress. Often if the child had no means of releasing stress they would internalize the stresses experienced years earlier – ruminating and bottling up emotions.