Understanding Vanishing Twin Syndrome

What is Vanishing Twin Syndrome?

How I Healed Myself of Vanishing Twin Syndrome

 I healed myself the day the class ended. Although I did a few more sessions on myself, the feeling was gone the night I created and recorded a script, then completed the process in just three minutes. 

After the class, I was tired and had let go of so many things. All I wanted to do was rest. I didn’t want to work on myself anymore; I didn’t want to figure anything else out. But my body had a different idea. My stomach kept turning, and I felt horrible. Deep down, I knew what it wanted: “Do it. Let me be free of this.”

I understood, but how would I manage to remember what to say, where to tap, and the correct syntax? I just wanted to sleep. 

“NOPE. YOU DO IT NOW,” I heard.

So I took out my workbook and phone, and wrote the script in my iphone notes app. Then I recorded it on a voice recorder. I had already learned when and where to tap, along with the other movements.

So I did it! I hit play, and three minutes later, I was done. Like a miracle, my body just went smooth, like a still pond without a ripple.

“Amazing shit,” was all I could think.

Are you seeking understanding and healing from the effects of Vanishing Twin Syndrome? Our compassionate team at Acupoint Tapping Healing is here to guide you. Reach out today to learn how our unique approach can support your journey towards emotional and physical well-being.

t’s crucial to state from the outset: this is not a formally recognized diagnosis in the DSM-5 or ICD-10. There is limited large-scale scientific research that conclusively proves a direct causal link. However, many therapists and individuals report a recurring set of themes that suggest a potential “psychology of the surviving twin.”

The theories are largely based on the idea of very early, pre-verbal trauma and a sense of loss that is felt not as a memory, but as a fundamental part of one’s identity.

Here are the potential “mental symptoms” or psychological experiences reported by or theorized about some adults who are surviving twins of Vanishing Twin Syndrome.

Symptoms of Vanishing Twin Syndrome

Core Psychological Themes

 The Sense of an Invisible Companion or a “Missing Other”:  A lifelong, pervasive feeling that someone is missing, that they are not alone when they physically are, or that they were meant to have a constant companion. This is not necessarily a hallucination but a deep, intangible feeling of absence and expectation.

Adult Manifestation: This can lead to a sense of being incomplete or searching for something they can’t name. They might feel “different” from others without knowing why.

Survivor’s Guilt: Description: This is a central theme. The unconscious question: “Why did I survive and not my twin?” This can manifest as a deep-seated, irrational guilt about existing, taking up space, or being successful.

Adult Manifestation: Self-sabotage, difficulty accepting joy or success, a tendency to put others’ needs far above their own (as if living for two), or a pattern of undermining their own achievements.

Profound and Unexplained Loneliness: Description: A feeling of loneliness that is not alleviated by relationships or social activity. It is described as a loneliness that feels primordial, as if it’s about the loss of a specific, primal connection that was never fully realized.

Adult Manifestation: A drive to form intense, symbiotic relationships in an attempt to fill the void, or conversely, a fear of intimacy because no relationship can ever live up to the imagined perfect connection with the twin.

Identity and Existential Questions: Description: A struggle with questions like “Who am I?” and “Am I myself, or am I both of us?” The individual may feel they are living a life that was meant for two or that they have a dual nature.

Adult Manifestation: Identity confusion, feeling like a “chameleon” who changes personalities to fit in, or a strong interest in topics like duality, twins, and the nature of the self.

Potential Manifestations in Mental Health

These core themes can contribute to or exacerbate specific mental health challenges: Anxiety and Depression: The chronic feelings of guilt, loneliness, and incompleteness can be underlying factors for mood disorders.

Difficulty with Relationships: The push-pull of craving intense connection while fearing it will never be enough can lead to unstable relationship patterns.

Low Self-Esteem: Rooted in the unconscious guilt of having survived.

A tendency towards Perfectionism: A subconscious effort to “be enough for two” or to justify their own survival by being exceptional.

What Is Vanishing Twin Syndrome?

  • Definition: Vanishing Twin Syndrome (VTS) occurs when one twin or multiple in a pregnancy miscarries, while the other  continue to develop. This can happen naturally, often in the first trimester, and may go unnoticed or be discovered during an ultrasound. While VTS itself is not “curable” in the traditional sense since it involves a spontaneous biological process there are ways to support physical recovery, emotional healing, and spiritual integration for both the surviving twin and parents.

    • Estimated in 15–35% of twin pregnancies

    • In triplet (or higher) pregnancies, it may occur in about half of cases

Western Current Approaches Healing The Survivor

Emotional Ramifications: Parent accounts underscore deep, complex grief—even alongside joy for the surviving twin. Many describe internal conflicts, guilt, and emotional isolation, partly due to limited acknowledgment and support from some healthcare provider

What to Do If This Resonates

If you are an adult and suspect you are a surviving twin and recognize these symptoms, here are some steps:

  1. Therapy: Try MTT as is seems to be very effective in removing the underlying casue deep in the subconcouse mind.
  2. Journaling: Writing about the feelings of loneliness, guilt, or absence can help process them. 
  3. Mindfulness and Grounding: Practices like meditation can help manage anxiety and the feeling of “missing” something by focusing on the present moment and the reality of one’s own body.

In conclusion, while not a medically proven condition, the “mental symptoms” of a surviving twin in adulthood form a compelling psychological profile centered on a deep, unconscious sense of loss, guilt, and a search for wholeness. For those who feel its truth, exploring it can be a valuable path to self-understanding and healing.

Important Considerations and Criticisms

  • Lack of Scientific Consensus: This field relies heavily on case studies, anecdotal evidence, and theoretical frameworks (like Jungian psychology or psychodynamic theory). It is not evidence-based in the same way a diagnosis of depression or anxiety is.

  • The Nature-Nurture Question: Could these feelings be explained by other early childhood experiences, attachment styles, or simply personality? It is very difficult to isolate the cause.

  • The Power of Narrative: For some adults, learning about VTS and this theory provides a powerful narrative that makes sense of lifelong feelings they could never explain. This sense of understanding can, in itself, be profoundly healing, regardless of the absolute scientific “truth.”

  • Not Everyone is Affected: Many people who learn they are a surviving twin later in life feel curiosity but no deep psychological disturbance.

Discover Support for Vanishing Twin Syndrome

Book a Free Session