Similar to the ways adverse childhood experiences like parental neglect or unmet physical needs can affect mental health and the ability to form meaningful relationships in adulthood, your financial status stability can affect your financial literacy, stability, and success later in life as well, according to a study from the Journal of Family and Economic Issues.
Things like housing insecurity, food scarcity, and even not having the money to play school sports or join student clubs as a kid can have a drastic impact on the way you view, spend, and save money in adulthood. From adopting a scarcity mindset to overspending as a coping mechanism, there are a number of other quiet clues someone wasn't raised with financial stability, according to psychology, that prove the link between childhood trauma and adult well-being isn't as blurred as we'd like to think.
Hananeko_Studio | Shutterstock
Many people who grew up in families that stretched out meals and struggled to put food on the table learned that wasting food wasn't an option. Even in adulthood, where they may have more financial control, stability, and comfort, that mindset never truly goes away.
It's a "scarcity" belief that wasting food is contributing to financial insecurity or somehow going to eventually run out and leave them with nothing. Food insecurity is an incredibly real, raw, and humbling experience, no matter what age you are, which is why it's not entirely surprising that this is one of the quiet clues someone wasn't raised with financial stability.
RELATED: 11 Uncomfortable Signs Your Parents Didn't Love You The Way You Needed, According To Psychology
Chay_Tee | Shutterstock
Many people who grow up without financial stability or a role model to learn financial literacy from adopt a scarcity mindset in adulthood when it comes to money. They not only misguidedly believe that "sacrifice" is the key to saving money and finding financial freedom, they tend to sabotage themselves by cultivating more stress, anxiety, and overwhelm with this mindset.
You can't take away small things that bring you joy and relief in a stressful financial situation and expect the changes that happen -- saving a bit here and there -- to be consistent. While it's true that over half of adults lack financial literacy skills, it's most common for people who weren't raised with financial stability to fall into this cycle of radical savings, overspending, and shame.
Whether they're out to eat with friends or grocery shopping, one of the quiet clues someone wasn't raised with financial stability is their hypervigilance with spending money. They're not only more aware of the prices when they're spending money, they tend to call it out or make comments about how "expensive" or "unexpected" the cost of their outing is.
Often rooted in financial trauma from early in life, the scarcity mindset that tends to thrive in people who didn't grow up with stability at home urges them into behaviors like this one. They're constantly living in survival mode, worried about money, hyper-fixated on how much they're spending, and grappling with fears of putting themselves back in a bad situation.
While it might seem unrealistic or annoying to someone who's never had to worry about money, and probably still has a "plan B" or someone to rely on if things go wrong financially, these behaviors can feel like second nature for people with a scarcity mindset.
RELATED: 4 Common Money Habits Of People Who Had A Tough Childhood, According To A Psychologist
CarlosBarquero | Shutterstock
According to psychologist Dr. Ali Fenwick, people who grew up poor or in a financially unstable environment tend to seek stability and familiarity, rather than success or indulgence. If they grew up in poverty, they know how to navigate it, so they're less likely to take risks or get out of their comfort zone to achieve wild success, especially if it puts their financial stability at risk, even in the short-term.
According to a study from Business Horizons, there's a paradox of failure and success for this demographic of people -- they seek stability, but simultaneously self-sabotage, procrastinate, and avoid means to grow. Whether that means making more money, climbing the corporate ladder, or investing their money, they'd prefer to stay where they're comfortable, even if it's entirely a force of habit.
According to experts from Northwestern Mutual, there are a number of reasons why people feel uncomfortable talking about money, whether it's fearing judgment, having a parent growing up who linked feelings of shame with financial conversations, or even wanting to control the narrative and status other people perceive about you based on your financial situation.
Being uncomfortable talking about money is also one of the quiet clues someone wasn't raised with financial stability. Not only was it probably a touchy subject in their childhood, it's also likely the root of a lot of internalized shame they still carry with them today.
From not having the money to buy the trendy clothes at school, to having to sit out of class trips, and be hyper-vigilant of asking parents for money, this shame doesn't simply go away overnight -- it only manifests into unique behaviors and mentalities in adulthood, like not being able to talk openly about money, that continue to affect their well-being and relationships.
RELATED: 11 Things Parents Do Without Realizing To Make Their Adult Kids Feel Like They're Failing
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock
From refusing to accept financial favors from friends and being uncomfortable with receiving gifts, many people who weren't raised with financial security feel uncomfortable when they feel "in debt" to someone else, even if they're very clearly being gifted something.
Despite constantly stressing and thinking about money, according to psychotherapist Joyce Marter, people with financial trauma refuse to accept help. They prefer to do things on their own, avoid being theoretically in debt to someone else, and having to worry about handling the discomfort of accepting money, gifts, or support.
Many people who didn't have financial security or support to rely on growing up were forced to learn how to be self-reliant and resourceful as a means of survival. Even if they make enough money to be comfortable in adulthood, these behaviors still linger. That "survival state" never truly goes away, unless you work through the unresolved financial trauma that's deep-rooted inside you.
Whether it's fixing something in their living space or stretching meals out during the week, one of the quiet clues someone wasn't raised with financial stability, according to psychology experts, is that they're going to make it work.
RELATED: 11 Things People Raised To Never Waste Anything Secretly Struggle With In Adulthood
WESTOCK PRODUCTIONS | Shutterstock
Considering many money insecure households tend to use physical cash and coins to budget over relying on cards and online planning tools, it's not surprising that preferring cash is one of the quiet clues someone wasn't raised with financial stability, according to psychology.
They not only feel more control over their finances when they have cash to physically manage -- another symptom of the "scarcity mindset" -- they're less likely to overspend as a coping mechanism when purchases aren't made with the touch of a button or the swipe of a card.
RELATED: 11 Common Habits Of People Who Stay Broke No Matter How Much Money They Make
Josep Suria | Shutterstock
Many people who experienced "financial betrayal" growing up feel the need to be secretive about their money now -- keeping their income a secret from friends, never talking about their financial struggles, and avoiding costly social events and excursions.
Sometimes, this is a result of betrayal from parents, who may have taken their money or promised unfulfilled wishes early in life, but other times it's simply rooted in the societal shame of poverty.
Not only does this ensure their internal shame lingers, they're often isolated from meaningful relationships and social support as a result, feeling the need to prioritize their secrecy over trust and open communication with the people in their lives.
RELATED: 11 Phrases Boomer Parents Say That Make Their Adult Kids Shut Down Inside
fizkes | Shutterstock
Many people who weren't raised with financial stability find it incredibly hard to ask for help, largely because of the internalized shame around money they still carry from their childhood experiences.
Of course, like Harvard University experts explain, this financial shame only intensifies the strain and discomfort these people experience when it comes to their financial status, urging them to sacrifice to save, overspend for comfort, and even isolate themselves from relationships to cope with insecurity.
RELATED: 10 Frugal Habits Of Everyday People Who Become Financially Independent While Working A Typical 9-To-5