5 signs that you are emotionally neglected

In childhood, when our caregivers and parents do not give us the necessary affection and attention, we can grow up feeling neglected. This also happens in adulthood where we may feel that we are not loved and cared for by the people whom we consider close to us. “Emotional neglect happens when our caregivers are not consistently emotionally there for us. As a result, our feelings are often dismissed, ridiculed, or not taken seriously. This doesn’t mean that if your parents ignored your feelings once you have been emotionally neglected, but emotional neglect happens if your feelings are constantly dismissed,” wrote Therapist Klara Kernig. Here are a few signs of being emotionally neglected.
ALSO READ: Why is emotional neglect in childhood so hard to identify? Psychologist explains
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Feeling unseen: Emotional neglect reflects in the way we feel unseen in a relationship. This can further lead to loneliness even when we are with someone else. This means that we are not cared for and our needs are not valued in the relationship.
Feelings are dismissed: We may feel that our needs, wants and expectations are constantly suppressed by the other person in the relationship. This happens when we are emotionally neglected and not valued.
Misunderstood: When we try to explain our point of view, our opinions, and our side of the story, we are dismissed, and people do not try to even consider our perspectives.
Feel like a burden: We feel that our needs and expectations are a burden on others, and we should deal with them by ourselves. However, we are also expected to meet the needs and expectations of the other person in the relationship.
We stop believing in ourselves: Because of the behaviour pattern of others, we stop believing in our needs and start questioning ourselves, and our significance in the relationship.
“Often, emotional neglect is unintentional as it is connected to cultural, societal, and religious beliefs around emotions, which can affect us differently depending on our gender,” added Therapist Klara Kernig.