The Link Between Parental Rejection and Anxiety
Parental influence and its quality shape the development of adolescents. Its crucial role in child development is undeniable.
Parental rejection happens when parents are neglectful, emotionally unavailable or dismissive towards emotional needs of the child. It has been demonstrated that there is an escalation of hostility and rejection towards children during adolescence. Parental rejection is a determining factor in the onset of psychological and behavioural problems in children. This article will explore a link between parental rejection and anxiety in adulthood.
Parental Rejection as a Precursor to Lifelong Repercussions
Parental acceptance-rejection theory is based on the assumption that every human being needs to be loved and accepted by the “significant others” in their life. Acceptance and rejection together establish the warmth dimension of relationship between children and parents. Warmth behaviours are affection, nurturance, love and emotional support. Rejection dimension represents the opposite of the warmth dimension and includes parental neglect, indifference, loveliness.
During childhood, parental figures serve as primary sources of emotional comfort and validation. Children who experienced parental rejection tend to display emotional instability. This includes depression, substance abuse, delinquency, behavioural problems, low self-esteem and self-doubt. Moreover, it was reported that perceived retrospectively in adulthood parental rejection is linked to anxiety. The lack of a secure emotional foundation can result in excessive worry, fear of rejection, persistent worry and increased sensitivity to social situations.
How Parental Rejection Affects the Brain
Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, hypervigilance, problems with relationships, self-loath and suicidality are among effects of perceived rejection, developmental trauma and PTSD.
The pain associated with perceived rejection is real. Brain imaging (fMRI) shows similarity between brains of rejected people and people experiencing physical pain. Additionally, findings from both, animal and human studies imply that emotional trauma experienced in childhood may affect brain structure and function. For instance, emotional neglect during childhood may significantly increase risk of cerebral infarction in later life. Additionally, perceived rejection as well as other forms of long-term emotional trauma are often implicated in change of brain chemistry.
People who reported having suffered childhood trauma, particularly emotional abuse, had a smaller amygdala volume compared to normal controls who had no such experiences. Defective functioning in this region of the brain contributes to mood and anxiety disorders, and affects emotional regulation.
The impact of parental rejection on a person’s mental health and the onset of anxiety is far-reaching and cannot be ignored. Research has consistently shown that early rejection experiences leave long-lasting emotional scars that frequently manifest as persistent anxiety disorders in adulthood. A greater awareness of the far-reaching consequences of parental rejection can help in supporting affected individuals, encourage open dialog about childhood trauma and eventually work towards breaking the cycle of anxiety that may run through generations.
