YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Hello, I just listened to the podcast with Dr. Jonice Webb on Childhood Emotional Neglect and this definition fits me perfectly. I was wondering if there is anyone else out there dealing with CEN?

Absolutely. I'm sure the majority of people on this forum have experienced childhood emotional neglect. Seems to be all too common in our awesome western world. My mother is a narcissist and much covert incest stuff with her. It's strange to realize that when she was paying attention to me it was all about her and left me drained and bare. This shit is the worst when you don't even realize the damage

Yep. Much like Mosesvampslayer, my mother didn't and doesn't see me as a separate person. She poured her insecurities and trauma on me for as long as I can remember. I'm severally co-dependent as a result. Good times.

The book by Jonice Webb is great also by the way. Alot of Amen's there. It was interesting to hear the different types of parenting styles and how each parent fits in. My parents were divorced and both remarried so it was very confusing for me with so many different things going on. But I definitely recommend checking out her book.

Definitely got me some codependency as well, bigeekgirl! Classic. How do you handle your mom now? I am temporarily cutting contact but not very well I guess. She doesn't understand of course but I can't even see her for one minute without needing to sleep for the next three days. She makes my skin crawl and sucks the life from me. But cutting contact with her would almost certainly mean not seeing any of that side of my family (and only about half of them are toxic!) since they are all tight knit Catholic. No one would understand. Paul talks about his relationship with his mom sometimes and it's nice and all but my case is definitely more complicated than just blocking a phone number and I'm not really sure. The anxiety from seeing the name on caller ID is fucking crazy though. I've tried to tell her I need space but she just says I can't stop her from caring or trying. So I don't say anything. She doesn't get that she makes it about her when I'm trying to take care of myself. But I'm curious if you have done anything to help in your own case!