A psychologist has revealed 15 signs you’re suffering from childhood emotional neglect.
Birmingham-based psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglani, author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving, said these symptoms include emotional numbness and difficulty setting boundaries.
In an Instagram post, the psychologist described how recovering from the trauma people experience as children is not an easy process, and how they feel can fluctuate from day to day.
She wrote: ‘Many of us react from childhood trauma and often don’t even realize it.
“I was recently talking to a client about how healing isn’t a straight path: one day you’re on top of the world, and the next day you’re deeply triggered.”
Dr. Lalitaa Suglani (pictured) is a Birmingham-based psychologist and author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving
This can express itself in different ways, according to the psychologist, who shared fifteen with her approximately 160,000 followers on the platform.
These different ways varied widely, and some may be unexpected, such as an over-attachment to possessions.
The first sign that you may be suffering from childhood emotional neglect, Dr. Suglani said, is if you have difficulty recognizing your own emotions.
Preferring to be alone and finding it difficult to form close relationships was the second sign on her list.
Third, she said, it’s the habit of setting standards for yourself that are “unrealistically high” and then, when you don’t meet them, feeling inadequate.
Continuing, the psychologist noted that the fear of asking for help and constantly doubting your worth and feeling inferior to others may also indicate that you have suffered trauma from emotional neglect in childhood.
When it comes to questioning your worth and berating yourself for failing to reach overly high standards, she mentioned another point that made a similar point.
The reason for this was that you would push yourself excessively at work or in other areas to gain approval.
According to Dr. Suglani, experiencing emotional neglect as a child is likely to manifest itself in multiple ways into adulthood (stock image)
Trust – or the lack thereof – was also on Dr. Suglani’s list when it came to the ways in which this treatment people received as young people can show up in adulthood.
Specifically, she said a sign could be that you are generally suspicious of people’s intentions – and find it difficult to trust them.
When it comes to conflict, the psychologist noted that people with this type of trauma may do their best to avoid disagreements.
Additionally, Dr. Suglani said, experiencing emotional numbness can be another sign.
Meanwhile, you may find yourself prioritizing the needs of others over your own.
This may be something you do in an attempt to gain acceptance and avoid rejection.
Moving on to her eleventh point, the psychologist said that those who suffer from trauma due to emotional neglect in childhood may have difficulty setting boundaries.
Another way this can manifest is by being overly harsh and critical of yourself – even going so far as to repeat negative self-talk.
Relationships with others can also be affected, she revealed, to the extent you can maintain emotional distance, in an effort to do so protect yourself from possible pain.
Referring to this in more detail another messagethe psychologist posted a video, sharing a caption.
In it she wrote: ‘Unresolved wounds from the past can shape how you interact with your partner, influencing your reactions, expectations, and how you handle conflict.
‘These unresolved issues can lead to patterns such as trust issues, fear of abandonment or problems with intimacy.
‘By not addressing these traumas, you can inadvertently bring them into your relationships, where they can create challenges.
“Facing and healing from these past experiences can help you build healthier, more fulfilling connections in your romantic life.”
To express this point even more directly in the video, Dr. Suglani images of herself looking pensive, with a caption over the images.
It simply said, “If you don’t address childhood trauma, your romantic relationships will.”
She then emphasized this point and added, “Read that again.”
Moving on to the next sign on her list, she mentioned something that was perhaps less expected than the other factors.
That sign was that those with this trauma might experience an excessive attachment to possessions.
Concluding her list, Dr. Suglani said that those who suffer in adulthood due to eWhen a child experiences emotional neglect, there may be a “persistent sense of lack of satisfaction in life.”