Childhood shapes us in ways we often don’t realize until much later in life. Our earliest relationships, especially with caregivers, set the foundation for how we connect, trust, and emotionally bond with others as adults. Among the many childhood experiences that influence adult mental health, Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) is one of the most overlooked yet one of the most powerful.
Unlike physical abuse or visible trauma, emotional neglect is silent. It leaves no bruises, no scars, and often goes unnoticed even by the child experiencing it. But its impact can echo into adulthood, shaping attachment styles and influencing how we show up in relationships.
What Is Childhood Emotional Neglect?
Childhood Emotional Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to respond to a child’s emotional needs.
This does not necessarily mean the parents were unloving or intentionally harmful. In many cases, they were simply unaware, emotionally unavailable, overwhelmed, or never taught how to connect emotionally themselves.
Examples of emotional neglect include: