A psychologist has revealed 15 signs that you are suffering from childhood emotional neglect.
Birmingham-based chartered psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglani, author of High-Functioning Anxiety: A 5-Step Guide to Calm Inner Panic and Thrive, said these signs include experiencing emotional numbness and having difficulty to set limits.
In an Instagram post, the psychologist described how recovering from the trauma people experience as children is not a simple process and the way they feel can vary from day to day.
She wrote: ‘Many of us are reacting from a place of childhood trauma and often don’t even realize it.
“I recently spoke with a client about how healing is not a straight path: one day you’re on top of the world and the next you’re deeply activated.”
Dr Lalitaa Suglani (pictured) is a Birmingham-based chartered psychologist and author of High Functioning Anxiety: A Five-Step Guide to Calming Inner Panic and Thriving.
This can manifest itself in several ways, according to the psychologist, who shared 15 of them with her nearly 160,000 followers on the platform.
These different ways varied greatly, and some were perhaps unexpected, such as having an excessive attachment to possessions.
The first sign that you may be suffering from childhood emotional neglect that Dr. Suglani mentioned is having difficulty recognizing your own emotions.
Preferring to be alone and having difficulty forming close relationships was the second sign on her list.
Third, he said, is the practice of setting standards for yourself that are “unrealistically high” and then, when you don’t meet them, feeling inadequate.
Continuing, the psychologist noted that being afraid to ask for help and constantly doubting your worth and feeling inferior to others can also suggest that you have childhood emotional neglect trauma.
When it comes to doubting your worth and berating yourself for not reaching too high standards, you listed another point, which raised a similar point.
This is because you may overexert yourself at work or other areas to gain approval.
According to Dr. Suglani, experiencing emotional neglect in childhood is likely to manifest itself in multiple ways when a person is an adult (file image)
Confidence, or lack thereof, is also on Dr. Suglani’s list when it comes to ways this treatment that people endured when they were young can manifest as adults.
Specifically, he said one sign could be that people are generally suspicious of their intentions and have a hard time trusting them.
When it comes to conflict, the psychologist noted that people with this type of trauma can do everything they can to avoid disagreements.
Additionally, Dr. Suglani said, experiencing emotional numbness can be another sign.
In the meantime, you may find that you prioritize the needs of others over your own.
This could be something you do in an attempt to gain acceptance and avoid rejection.
Moving on to the eleventh point, the psychologist said that those who suffer trauma from childhood emotional neglect may find it difficult to establish limits.
Another way this can manifest is by being overly harsh and critical of yourself, even going so far as to reproduce negative self-talk.
Relationships with others can also be affected, he revealed, to the extent that emotional distance is maintained, in an effort to protect yourself from possible damage.
Referring to this further in another postThe psychologist published a video, along with which she shared a caption.
In it she wrote: ‘Unresolved hurts from the past can shape the way 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 difficulties with intimacy.
‘If you don’t address these traumas, you could unintentionally 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.”
Expressing the point even more directly in the video, Dr. Suglani shared footage of herself looking pensive, with a caption over the footage.
It simply said, “If you don’t address your childhood traumas, your romantic relationships will.”
He then emphasized the point and added, “Read that again.”
Moving on to the next sign on his list, he listed something that is perhaps less expected than the other factors.
That sign was that those with this trauma could experience an excessive attachment to possessions.
Concluding her list, Dr. Suglani said that those who suffer in adulthood due toeExperiencing emotional neglect as a child can cause a “lingering sense of lack of fulfillment in life.”
