The Sense of Emotional Neglect

Emptiness The traumas individuals experience during childhood can leave profound marks on their lives. Neglect and abuse during childhood can lead to psychological problems in adolescence and adulthood. According to research, 35-57% of individuals may exhibit psychological symptoms in adulthood based on the neglect and abuse they experienced in childhood (Goodman, Rosenberg, Mueser, & Drake, 1997; Mueser, Bond, Drake, & Resnick, 1998; Mueser et al., 2004).

Childhood traumas are divided into two groups: abuse and neglect. These two subtypes are further classified into physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse, as well as physical neglect and emotional neglect. According to a study involving individuals diagnosed with psychological disorders, emotional neglect and physical neglect were reported as the most common types of maltreatment (Xie et al., 2018). This blog post aims to discuss emotional neglect and the resulting feeling of emptiness.

Emotional neglect is defined as the failure of caregivers to meet the emotional needs of a child. Examples of emotional needs include caregivers not showing affection to the child, the child witnessing domestic violence, permissive attitudes towards the child’s problematic behaviors, and the absence of emotional care (Stoltenborg, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Ijzendoorn, 2013).

According to Webb and Musello (2020), adults who have experienced emotional neglect often struggle with a feeling of emptiness, and this feeling can become chronic. Individuals experiencing the sense of emptiness may have multiple emotions, finding it challenging to express and understand their feelings. This feeling of emptiness may emerge as a way for individuals to express the overwhelming nature of having too many emotions. When the feeling of emptiness arises, individuals may struggle to show self-compassion and understand their own needs.

Unmet emotional needs during childhood can manifest in unhealthy attachment patterns in adult relationships. According to Sadock and Sadock (2008), individuals who have experienced emotional neglect may approach unfamiliar people with love but show emotionally detached behavior towards long-known individuals in social contexts. This inability to establish secure attachments in relationships can lead to difficulties in forming healthy relationship dynamics. Individuals experiencing a sense of worthlessness and loneliness in their relationships are commonly observed (Webb & Musello, 2020). In clinical settings, individuals often describe this feeling as “emptiness” when they have difficulty expressing their emotions. When individuals are faced with this emptiness and psychological symptoms, seeking support from professionals through psychotherapy can be beneficial.

Book Recommendations:

• “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect” by Jonice Webb
• “Running on Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships with Your Partner, Your Parents and Your Children” by Jonice Webb References:
• Goodman LA, Rosenberg SD, Mueser KT, Drake RE. (1997). Physical and sexual assault history in women with serious mental illness: prevalence, correlates, treatment, and future research directions, Schizophrenia Bulletin, doi:10.1093/schbul/23.4.685.
• Mueser, KT, Bond GR, Drake RE, Resnick SG. (1998). Models of community care for severe mental illness: A review of research on case management, Schizophrenia Bulletin, doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.schbul.a033314
• Mueser KT, Clark RE, Haines M, Drake RE, McHugo GJ, Bond GR, … Swain K. (2004). The Hartford study of supported employment for persons with severe mental illness, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.72.3.479.
• Sadock BJ, Sadock VA. (2008). Problems Related to Abuse and Neglect. In: R. Cancro (ed). Kaplan & Sadock‘s Concise Textbook of Clinical Psychiatry, Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 414-420.
• Stoltenborg M, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, van Ijzendoorn MH, Alink LRA. (2013). Cultural-geographical differences in the occurrence of child physical abuse? A meta-analysis of global prevalence, International Journal of Psychology, doi:10.1080/00207594.2012.697165.
• Webb, J. ve Musello, C. (2020). Çocuklukta ihmalin izi: boşluk hissi (12. bs.). (Arıkan, G., Çev.) İstanbul: Sola Unitas.
• Xie P, Wu K, Zheng Y, Guo Y, Yang Y, He J, … Peng H. (2018). Prevalence of childhood trauma and correlations between childhood trauma, suicidal ideation, and social support in patients with depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia in southern China, Journal of Affective Disorders, doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.011

Elif ÇALIŞKAN

Clinical Psychologist

University:

Hacettepe University, Faculty of Letters, Psychology (High Honor Student), 2016

Hacettepe University, Faculty of Letters, Sociology (Minor), 2016

Specialization:

Ankara University, Institute of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Family Counseling (High Honor Student), 2021

Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Institute of Social Sciences, Clinical Psychology (High Honor Student), 2021