Living with Emotional Neglect That’s Hard to Define

"I always thought my childhood wasn’t so bad, even though my parents were very strict and religious. But in recent years, through therapy, I’ve come to realize that none of it was normal and that they were very emotionally immature, which deeply affected me. What’s hard for me is that from the outside, everything looks perfectly fine. No one would be able to tell. But when I see my mother’s vacant look, not listening to what I’m saying or showing any interest in me, too busy with anything else, it hurts. My father was so strict, with his harsh gaze, corporal punishments, and rigidity. I couldn’t express any feelings because they had no idea how to handle them. No advice about life, no guidance. I felt like I was left to fend for myself so early on. And even worse, I felt responsible for them.

Does anyone else have a similar relationship with their parents? Where it’s not so clear that there was neglect, but it still left a deep void?"