"CEN happens when your parents or caregivers fail to notice, respond to, or validate your emotional needs. It may happen in homes that appear caring, structured, or "normal" from the outside. But when your emotions are consistently overlooked by your family, you learn to overlook them, too. As a child, this helped you cope. As an adult, it may quietly shape how you give and receive love."
"You pull away when things get too close. You want intimacy, but when it starts to happen, you may feel uneasy. You might withdraw, pick fights, or focus on your partner's flaws. The closer things get, the more uncomfortable you may feel. Why this happens: If your emotions were ignored growing up, closeness may not feel safe. You learned to manage your feelings alone, so vulnerability with someone else can feel unfamiliar and even threatening."
Childhood emotional neglect occurs when parents or caregivers fail to notice, respond to, or validate a child's emotional needs. Such neglect can occur in otherwise caring or structured households, and teaches children to overlook their own feelings. As adults, people who experienced CEN may pull away from intimacy, expect partners to intuit needs, have trouble expressing emotions, and feel drained by relationships. These patterns make closeness feel unsafe and lead to withdrawal, conflict, or silent resentment. Healing can involve therapy, reading, guided exercises, and gradual practice of vulnerability and explicit communication to build comfort and connection.
Read at Psychology Today
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