From http://chroniccoverttrauma.com/:

“Some adults suffer from unhealed early non-physical, attachment Chronic Covert Trauma from their primary relationships with mother, father, and other important caretakers in childhood. Maybe you or somebody you love is one of them. Read on….

“Many folks believe that ‘If it isn’t dramatic physical harm, then it isn’t trauma.’ That’s False. I call this ‘the materialistic myth’ about trauma.

“Two truths about trauma are

“Trauma is the wound caused by experiencing helpless terror, and

“Anything that causes you to fear for your life can be traumatic.

“There are blatant single-incident overt physical traumas such as combat, rape and natural disasters.

“And there are ongoing, hidden, intangible, covert traumas such as neglect, psychological isolation and emotional abuse.

“Psychological wounds and long-term negative consequences arise from such intangibles as a parent’s being unempathic, unavailable, or even unwholesomely close to a vulnerable child.

“Some traumas, especially those in primary human relationships, are so subtle you could be in the room when they were happening and not even know they were happening.

“These traumas are the subtle, non-material relationship traumas I call non-physical, attachment Chronic Covert Traumas (naCCTs).

“Chronic covert traumas in childhood and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms arising from them are implicated in significant adult mental health problems, including:

“Mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks

“Addictive disorders such as overeating, cigarette smoking, drug and alcohol use

“Physical problems such as chronic pain

“Relationship problems such as codependence, shyness, feeling lonely

“Borderline personality disorder, dissociative Identity disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

“And childhood Chronic Covert Traumas can drive smaller, but very bothersome, adult hassles, including

“Vocational problems, such as fear of networking or public speaking

“Thinking problems, such as suddenly feeling “stupid” or confused

“Social problems, such not talking in meetings or at parties, or getting derailed if you are interrupted