survive through these small, consistent moments rather than only through major family gatherings.
5. Emotional Needs May Have Been Ignored
This is one of the more painful possibilities.
Some adult children distance themselves because they didn’t feel emotionally understood while growing up.
Perhaps their feelings were regularly dismissed.
Maybe they were told to “get over it,” criticized whenever they expressed vulnerability, or felt that their problems weren’t taken seriously.
When this happens repeatedly, a child may learn to stop sharing.
Years later, that pattern can continue into adulthood.
They may
