When A Child Is The Victim Of Emotional Abandonment

When it comes to emotional abandonment, unfortunately it is not a topic that can be taken lightly, even less so in cases involving children. Children who are victims of emotional neglect find themselves having to face the absolute lack of answers to their emotional needs ; in the worst case, these circumstances lead them to suffer from severe psychological deficits, with consequences also in terms of physical health.

The Treccani vocabulary defines abandoning , in its first sense, in terms of “leaving definitively and forever: a. the paternal house, the native land, a. family, friends “.

The moment a child becomes a victim of emotional abandonment, he or she  is prone to feel a feeling of detachment that parents sometimes tend to compensate for by  satisfying their material needs.

Affection is critical to a child’s emotional development

During the growth phase, it is essential that the child perceives at his side the presence of parents who are concerned about satisfying his needs. However, parents’ attention is often so focused on material needs that emotional needs take a back seat. It is true that a child needs physical objects such as clothes, toys, various tools for his care, etc .; but it also, and above all, needs demonstrations of love, such as a hug or a conversation about his state of mind.  

There are circumstances that become the determining cause of these problems; Sometimes, in fact, emotional abandonment comes from the lack of time on the part of parents, whose working hours prevent them from taking care of their child as they would like. The impossibility of reinforcing emotional bonds in a habitual way leads parents to think that they can be replaced by other means.

However, affection is vital to a child’s emotional development, so that he or she grows up happy and psychologically healthy; according to some experts, every child should receive a dose of security and approval sufficient to feel part of the family to which he belongs. On the contrary, the emotional damage that can be created in him can become irreversible.

Some consequences of emotional neglect in children

The phenomenon of emotional abandonment is always harmful, but its consequences become even stronger in the case of children; in these cases, in fact, the experience suffered can generate psychological and emotional damage that will not leave the person for the rest of his life. Let’s find out together some of the consequences of abandonment:

• Difficulty at school: the school is the second habitat in which the child finds himself growing up; he will drag his negative mood wherever he goes. The negative repercussions may therefore be reflected during the carrying out of didactic activities, as well as in the way of relating to the study and in relationships with other children.

• Eating Disorders: As a rule, feeling bad at heart directly affects a person’s eating habits. Emotional neglect can have a direct impact on the health of the victim, generating disorders that may require psychotherapeutic interventions.

• Self-esteem problems: perhaps this is the most serious aspect. While this is not always the case, children with emotional neglect tend to see a progressive reduction in their self-esteem. This phenomenon can have repercussions on personality development, leading to codependency, violence and even depression in the future.

• Anxiety and Depression: The emotional damage created can persist into adulthood. The lack of security or self-confidence can lead the subject to suffer from depression and anxiety that will make everyday life difficult, as well as affect every possible interpersonal relationship.

• Reflection on future family life: When emotional neglect has had a negative impact on a child, the likelihood that the lack of affection will reappear in future family dynamics increases. It often happens that parents who do not care about the emotional health of their children have been victims of emotional neglect in their own time.

Each person can experience emotional abandonment, even at a specific stage in life. If you suspect the presence of  a situation of emotional abandonment, it is advisable to contact a specialist who will help manage the situation and resolve the emotional deficiencies.