Childhood Emotional Neglect and the Coronavirus

Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) impacts individuals in a wide variety of ways. But in this unprecedented time of social distancing, working remotely, and even quarantine, CEN can exacerbate the responses that so many of us already experience in “normal” times. It’s important for those of us who are having feelings that are more heightened than usual, or which seem disproportionate to the situation, to know that we are not alone. Our reactions, however extreme or confusing, are a natural response to childhood events over which we had little or no control There are a myriad of effects of growing up with CEN. Some of them can be especially noticeable as we navigate through this coronavirus outbreak: Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Simple, everyday events can often easily be triggers when suffering from PTSD. During the coronavirus outbreak, there are countless triggers every day, such as scarcity of necessities and lack of control. Breathing, meditation, checking in with ourselves, and seeking professional help can mitigate the fight or flight responses. Trust When we have experienced neglect by caregivers — the people we should have been able to trust to take care of us and meet our needs when we could not do so as children — we often lose the ability to trust others when we become adults, even those people who have proven to be trustworthy. As we navigate through uncharted territory, it can be difficult to trust that our community, friends, and family wil...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Abuse PTSD Trauma childhood emotional neglect Childhood Trauma Codependence Coping Skills coronavirus COVID-19 fight or flight Resilience scarcity of necessities social distancing Source Type: blogs