There comes a moment in healing when you realize something uncomfortable but freeing: you weren’t “too sensitive,” “too emotional,” or “bad at coping.” You were surviving — and you survived for a very long time. When a child grows up in chaos, inconsistency, emotional neglect, or fear, survival mode isn’t a choice. It’s a necessity. The nervous system learns to stay alert, scan for danger, and prepare for the next problem before it arrives. That adaptation can save a child. B