When Crying Never Came: A Hypothesis for Neurocomplex Adults Living with Invisible Early Trauma
Why freeze responses in gifted and sensitive infants can lead to unintentional neglect and lifelong trauma symptoms
As a therapist working with neurocomplex adults—those who are gifted, autistic, ADHDers, emotionally intense, highly sensitive, or some complex combination—I’ve noticed a persistent pattern that continues to raise questions.
These are clients who are intelligent, insightful, often high-functioning in ways that hide just how distressed they feel inside. They are deeply reflective, well-read, and committed to healing. And yet:
“I’ve done the work. I understand my patterns. But something still feels stuck—and I don’t know why.”
They live with chronic dysregulation. They dissociate under stress. They people-please instinctively. They feel disconnected from their body, relationships, or sense of self. And most confusing of all: there is no obvious trauma in their history that could explain this level of suffering.