I am not sure if this is, but I need to say... Was this neglect?

Was this abuse?

First post of many, just not sure if this is the best place to post.

I have many memories of my early childhood which is my first flag of not that traumatized. The first story is from when I was growing between the age of newborn - around 2 years old. I recall often being restrained in my car-seat for hours being plopped in front of the tv while my mom left for work leaving me with my unemployed bio father. He would leave me there and I remember having "Pop-Up Video" and the animated "Beatlejuice" which was almost a fever dream I found later in life and sparked a lot of memories to come back.

I remember when my mom would get home she would yell at my bio, pick me up out of the car-seat, then change me. I even remember those feelings which I though everyone blocked those out... I recall sour bottles in my mouth and am even gagging at the memory from the smell...

Another memory, I had to ask my mother if it was real or if I was dreaming. The house we lived in during this time had a pool with a deck built around it. I recall crawling out the sliding door one winter night. I crawled in the snow then slid down the pool cover... I did see my bio freak out before laying down on the deck to reach out to me...

I remember very little interactions with my bio unless we were out in public... especially around other family members... except my bio's mother... but that is another home... another set of stories... another set of questions as to why I am so angry at them to near fear... but there was never true true comfort of safety around the bio...

Yes or no? Trauma or just life?

Posted Feb 23, 2026, 6:06 AM UTC

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