Scan barcode
A review by lestaslettering
Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect by Jonice Webb
4.0
Twas a difficult book to read and a difficult book to rate because for a subject this personal and painful, it's impossible to be unbiased in rating a book which understands you so well. I had a lot of fears about my future and how I'm going to suck at parenting because I'm barely surviving much less living & even then a lot of my coping mechanisms are incredibly faulty. The author is really understanding of all possible kinds of situations and while subtle ignorance doth have noticeable effects in adulthood I wish she could write a book on Childhood Emotional Abuse too because there's been loads of books about Physical, Sexual Abuse and Psychological and emotional abuse which are sometimes alone and most times accompanying the other abuses are just as damaging, if not more.
I like her approach of showing what is going on and how what did or didn't happen in childhood lead to that and how to fill the tank now, so you know it's not rushing at you to make linear progress right now. One thing I loved about the book is its chapter on SUICIDAL FEELINGS which is pretty important thing that was addressed and in the right way too.
Although one thing I could not observe but which I go through is feeling too much. Dr. Webb talks about how emotional neglect in the developmental years makes it difficult feeling, acknowledging or expressing emotions in the adulthood but what about those of us who were trapped, whose emotions and feelings were shunned but we can't help but be sensitive & the only lesson we were taught when we showed emotions is to shut up but that had a reverse effect on us, that we are completely ruled by emotions which are out of our control and makes us live in a all or nothing mindset. How never learning how to use emotions effectively didn't lead us to turning off the emotions permanently but made us lose the off switch. But then again I wonder if the abuse had anything to do with it.
Webb has written such a beautiful account on CEN in a great way possible that i wish she could write about CEA especially focusing on those situations where a child who is witnessing domestic violence against its mother or father by the other parent and is growing up feeling that perpetually unsafe, guarded manner is facing severe emotional abuse even when the child is not the one being physically abused. That would clarify a lot. Thank you.
I like her approach of showing what is going on and how what did or didn't happen in childhood lead to that and how to fill the tank now, so you know it's not rushing at you to make linear progress right now. One thing I loved about the book is its chapter on SUICIDAL FEELINGS which is pretty important thing that was addressed and in the right way too.
Although one thing I could not observe but which I go through is feeling too much. Dr. Webb talks about how emotional neglect in the developmental years makes it difficult feeling, acknowledging or expressing emotions in the adulthood but what about those of us who were trapped, whose emotions and feelings were shunned but we can't help but be sensitive & the only lesson we were taught when we showed emotions is to shut up but that had a reverse effect on us, that we are completely ruled by emotions which are out of our control and makes us live in a all or nothing mindset. How never learning how to use emotions effectively didn't lead us to turning off the emotions permanently but made us lose the off switch. But then again I wonder if the abuse had anything to do with it.
Webb has written such a beautiful account on CEN in a great way possible that i wish she could write about CEA especially focusing on those situations where a child who is witnessing domestic violence against its mother or father by the other parent and is growing up feeling that perpetually unsafe, guarded manner is facing severe emotional abuse even when the child is not the one being physically abused. That would clarify a lot. Thank you.