There are different types of parenting that parents provide to their children, whether consciously or not. Which includes both positive and negative behaviors. One of the latter is called childhood emotional neglect, which occurs when one or both parents do not respond as they should, in a responsible manner, to the needs of their child. This does not always mean that the child is not receiving care or is a victim of emotional abuse, although it could also be; But they see how her emotional needs are totally ignored or even undervalued.
Every time childhood emotional neglect occurs, the child accumulates its effects, in a subtle way, but which will have a considerable impact during his or her growth and until reaching adulthood. The consequences of this failure in parenting on the part of the parents are not usually evident until after a while, when the effects manifest themselves and begin to affect the child’s daily life.
Childhood emotional neglect has a negative impact on the children who suffer from it, and it has consequences. However, these last over time and develop until they leave a mark in subsequent years. Therefore, when talking about how childhood emotional neglect affects it, it is necessary to take into consideration two phases: childhood and adulthood.
In the case of children who suffer emotional neglect, the most common symptoms they present have to do with delayed development, apathy, and low self-esteem. In addition, these minors are prone to suffering from depression and anxiety, as well as becoming hyperactive or, in other cases, aggressive. Children are more likely to fall into addictions and withdraw from their social environment, since they avoid emotional closeness or intimacy.
And this doesn’t end there. Children raised under childhood emotional neglect also continue to suffer into adulthood. One of the common consequences has to do with suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. But other negative results can also be observed in relation to their behavior and emotional health. For example, these people experience an emotional absence that causes a feeling of emptiness and a tendency to shy away from intimacy. In addition, they are more likely to suffer from an eating disorder and outbursts of aggression and anger. Social relationships will be complicated for them, since it will be difficult for them to trust others. Although one of the worst consequences is that these adults are likely to repeat their parents’ behavior with their children, that is, that they also fall into childhood emotional neglect with their own offspring.