He acts like an emotional cripple whenever he talks about his past.
emotional cripple
idiomA person who has been rendered indecisive, alienated, uncaring, confused, or helpless through experiencing debilitating emotions, such as worry, fear, panic, despair, etc.
After years of toxic relationships, she felt like an emotional cripple who could no longer trust anyone.
The protagonist, long haunted by his childhood trauma, remained an emotional cripple, unable to form the deep connections he desperately craved.