This month, I have been focusing on the profound and long-lasting effects of neglect, how it permeates almost every community, and the frequent invisibility of its causes and effects.
Neglect is a cruel and cyclical phenomenon that inflicts painful wounds that can pass like unwanted inheritance between generations.
Healing from neglect can be a long and challenging journey. It is further complicated by childhood coping mechanisms that impede the vulnerability and self-belief required for healing. Nonetheless, survivors of neglect often emerge incredibly resilient, fiercely independent, and adaptable.
Perhaps the most profound and damaging consequence of neglect entails the disruption of primary attachments. For most of us, our first source of comfort, safety, and regulation is the simple yet essential act of being seen. However, many survivors of neglect don’t have the chance to experience this.
As communities, friends, counselors, and neighbors, we can all work together to support the neglected and unseen to help those we care for break cycles of neglect and spirals of shame and dysregulation.
Monthly Blog Round-Up
The following is a round-up of our monthly blogs in case you missed any on our social media pages.
Compassion fatigue, also known as empathy fatigue, often affects individuals in caregiving, healthcare, or other professions involving frequent exposure to others' stress, trauma, and suffering.
It arises from the emotional and psychological toll of empathizing with and supporting other people, particularly those who have experienced trauma. Over time, continual exposure to the distressing stories and experiences of trauma survivors can take a heavy toll.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a proactive psychotherapy approach derived from traditional behavioral and cognitive therapies. It encourages clients to cease avoidance, denial, and resistance to their internal emotions.
Dr. Steven C. Hayes, a University of Nevada professor, conceptualized ACT in the 1980s based on his own struggle with panic attacks. Motivated by personal experiences, Hayes resolved to embrace rather than evade the obstacles he faced.
Extensive research indicates that experiencing mistreatment during childhood, regardless of one’s developmental stage, can lead to enduring repercussions that significantly elevate the likelihood of developing both psychiatric and medical disorders.
There is increasing awareness of the correlation between neglect and diagnoses like narcissistic personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, as well as a number of eating disorders.
Neglect is the lack of adequate care and attention, generally considered in the context of children and their adult caregivers. It can result in a wide variety of short- and long-term problems related to health and well-being, education, attachment, emotional regulation, and self-esteem.
Understanding the signs and effects of neglect, as well as methods for healing, can lead to powerful, meaningful realizations for adult survivors who may be struggling with the consequences of their childhood and upbringing.
