Honestly, emotional neglect made me feel unlovable for the longest time. I thought if the people who were supposed to care for me couldn’t meet my emotional needs, then no one else would. It made me settle for toxic relationships where my needs were continually ignored. Over time, though, I’ve started to understand that the neglect I experienced wasn’t a reflection of my worth. Healing has been a slow process, but I’m learning to rebuild my self-esteem and form healthier, more supportive connections.

Emotional neglect definitely took a toll on my self-esteem growing up. I often felt like I wasn’t worthy of attention or affection, and that belief carried over into my adult relationships. I found myself settling for less because I didn’t think I deserved more. It also made it difficult to form healthy connections because I had no model for what that looked like. I’ve been working through these issues in therapy, and while I still struggle with self-worth, I’m learning to set boundaries and expect more from the people I let into my life.

For a long time, emotional neglect made me feel invisible, like my feelings and needs didn’t matter. It left me with a lot of self-doubt, constantly questioning whether I was asking for too much in relationships. Because of that, I used to gravitate toward people who were emotionally unavailable, thinking that was the norm. But after going through some intense self-reflection, I’ve realized that I deserve more than just the bare minimum. It’s been a process, but I’m learning to seek out healthier, more emotionally fulfilling relationships now.

Emotional neglect left me feeling like I had to be self-sufficient in every aspect of my life. I didn’t trust others to meet my emotional needs because, growing up, those needs were ignored. As a result, I became hyper-independent, which affected my relationships. I pushed people away, thinking I didn’t need them or that they’d eventually let me down. I’m slowly learning that it’s okay to rely on others and that healthy relationships require mutual support. It’s been challenging, but I’m getting better at letting people in.