Understanding Emotional Numbness:

It is a kind of condition of emotional disengagement or lack of emotional reaction, sometimes referred to as emotional blunting as well as emotional anaesthesia. It can have an immense impact on a person's physical and mental wellness as well as reflect up as a sense ofdetachment between one's own life, others or the external world.The American Psychological Association (APA) states that emotional numbness is frequently associated with mental health issues, including substance abuse, post-traumatic stressdisorder, depression as well as effect of certain medications.Be mindful that you aren't alone if you experience emotional numbing. The following steps can assist you in re-establishing emotional connection in order to improve your mental health:

• Find out the root cause: The initial step towards healing is recognizing why you are feeling that way. It can be done by thinking back on recent life experiences, pastevents or trauma as well as stressors.  Therapy can be helpful in uncovering suppressed feelings and underlying causes. A therapy can be effective for recovering suppressed emotions and root causes.
• Get Expert Assistance: Seeking a therapist or psychiatrist will help to obtain a correct diagnosis based on your symptoms and assist therapies like dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) as well as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for tackling the issues, develop coping techniques and to manage emotions.
• Practice creative expression: Usage of creative mediums like painting, writing,dancing or music for communicating your feelings. This can help in processing and expressing emotions in a creative and healthy way.
• Establish connections: Get in touch with your loved ones or seek support groups to discuss how you feel and get support. It will help in improving overall mental health and helps to alleviate loneliness.
• Practice mindfulness: Fostering mindfulness by engaging in practices like deep breathing or meditation can help in re-establishing connection with emotions and feelings.

The Spectrum of Numbness:

Emotional numbness isn't always an absolute absence of feeling. It can manifest in various ways:

• Reduced emotional intensity: Emotions might be present but then feel subtle or less intense. Happiness, sadness, anger and all other emotions feel minimised.
• Detachment from emotions: Even though you know that you might need to feel in a certain way in given circumstance, you won’t able to because the emotional connection is lacking.
• Incapability to experience pleasure (anhedonia): The things that you enjoyed once, or brought joy to you no longer gives you the same feelings or fulfilment.
• Trouble connecting with others: When emotionally numb, it can be challenging to connect, empathize with or build a lasting relationship. It can lead to social exclusion or loneliness which in turn worsen the issue.
• Physical manifestations: As mind and body is interconnected, emotional distress can show up as physical symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, problems with digestion etc.

When to Seek Help

If the emotional numbness is extreme, continuous or is affecting your daily life, then it is essential to get help from a professional. Always remember that you are not alone in facing emotional numbness. With the right support and care, you can always restore your emotional well-being.

References:

• American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Emotional numbness. APA Dictionary of Psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/emotional-numbness
• Briere, J., & Scott, C. (2014). Principles of trauma therapy: A guide to symptoms, evaluation, and treatment (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Christensen, et.al. (2022). Emotional blunting in patients with depression. Part II: relationship with functioning, well-being, and quality of life. Annals of General Psychiatry, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-022-00392-4
• Gillette, H. (2022). 12 Signs Someone may be emotionally numb (and why it happens). Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/signs-someone-is- emotionally-numb
• Gotter, A. (2024). What is emotional numbness? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/feeling-numb
• Lanius, R. A., et.al. (2011). Neural correlates of emotional processing in post- traumatic stress disorder. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 19(6), 259–274. https://doi.org/10.3109/10673229.2011.614485
• Mendez, M. (2024). Emotional numbness: Symptoms, causes, and treatment. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/emotional-numbing-symptoms- 2797372