Скачать или смотреть Why You Feel Broken: Hidden Childhood Trauma Explained

"I had a normal childhood. So why do I feel so broken? Why is everything so hard for me? Maybe I'm just weak."

This email from Sonia broke my heart - because I know how many people feel exactly the same way.

If you had a "normal" childhood but struggle as an adult with people-pleasing, hypervigilance, perfectionism, relationship issues, or chronic anxiety - this episode is for you.

Today we're talking about the trauma that doesn't leave visible scars. The emotional neglect, conditional love, chronic criticism, and invalidation that shaped you in ways you might not even recognize.

🧠 WHAT WE COVER:
✅ Why trauma isn't just "what happened" - it's also what DIDN'T happen
✅ The types of trauma that don't leave bruises
✅ Emotional neglect and emotional parentification explained
✅ How conditional love programs your nervous system
✅ Signs your childhood was more traumatic than you realized
✅ Why you people-please to your own detriment
✅ Hypervigilance in relationships and constant scanning for danger
✅ How childhood trauma shows up in your body now
✅ The inner critic that sounds like your parent
✅ What to do with this realization


WHAT WE DISCUSS:
0:00 – Sonia’s Email: “Why Do I Feel So Broken?”
0:25 – What Trauma Really Is (not just abuse/neglect)
0:55 – Invisible Trauma Types (neglect, parentification, conditional love, criticism)
1:20 – How Trauma Shapes Your Nervous System (hypervigilance, people-pleasing, perfectionism)
1:50 – Signs You’re Carrying Childhood Trauma (relationships, identity, emotions, inner critic)
2:15 – How It Shows Up in Your Body (anxiety, sleep, tension, physical symptoms)
2:35 – You’re Not Broken – You’re Adapting to Survive
2:54 – What To Do Next (self-compassion, therapy, awareness, healing is possible)

📝 SELF-REFLECTION EXERCISES INCLUDED:
This episode includes 6 guided reflection prompts to help you understand your own experiences:
1. Did you have to be perfect to be loved?
2. Which trauma types resonate with you?
3. Rate your people-pleasing tendencies
4. What does your inner critic say?
5. What was your childhood home's emotional climate?
6. Where do you hold trauma in your body?

Grab a journal and work through these as we go!

💡 KEY INSIGHTS:
Trauma = what happened + what DIDN'T happen that should have
Emotional neglect is just as damaging as physical abuse
Your brain adapted to survive - those adaptations served you then
If your own mother/father couldn't love you unconditionally, you learned love is conditional
Hypervigilance, people-pleasing, and perfectionism are survival responses
You're not broken - you're responding normally to abnormal circumstances
Understanding your past isn't about blame - it's about healing

🎯 TYPES OF HIDDEN TRAUMA DISCUSSED:
Emotional neglect
Emotional parentification
Conditional love and perfectionism
Chronic criticism and comparison
Invalidation of feelings
Growing up with depressed/anxious parents
Being the "good kid" who never caused problems
Chronic family conflict
Sibling comparison

🆘 CRISIS RESOURCES:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357
National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

📚 FIND TRAUMA-INFORMED HELP:
Psychology Today (trauma therapists): psychologytoday.com
EMDR Therapy Locator: emdria.org
Somatic Experiencing Practitioners: traumahealing.org
Complex PTSD Treatment: beautifullybrokentherapy.com

ONLINE SUPPORT:
r/CPTSD - Reddit support community
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents support groups
Childhood Emotional Neglect resources: drjonicewebb.com

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This content is educational, not therapy. Please seek professional help for personalized support and treatment.



📱 DAILY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT:
Instagram: @bigfeelingslab
TikTok: @bigfeelingslab
Facebook: Big Feelings Lab
Email: [email protected]

💌 YOUR STORY MATTERS:
If you see yourself in Sonia's message or this episode resonates with your experience, you're not alone. Share in the comments (if you feel safe) - your story might help someone else realize they're not "just weak" either.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more episodes that help you understand yourself better. Hit the notification bell for weekly content about the mental health topics nobody talks about.

👍 IF THIS HELPED YOU:
Give it a thumbs up
Share with someone who thinks they had a "normal" childhood but struggles as an adult
Comment with which type of hidden trauma resonated most
Subscribe to support mental health education


What's one thing from your childhood that you always thought was "normal" but now realize might have been traumatic? Share below - let's normalize these conversations.


NEXT WEEK: Narcissistic Parents - How to Recognize the Patterns and Start Healing


Your childhood experiences matter. Your feelings are valid. Healing is possible.