Why do I feel so numb all the time?
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Last Updated: 01/03/2018 at 5:53pm

★ This question about Managing Emotions was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.


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It is hard to figure out"why" but to feel happy instead of numb, go do things you find thrilling or enjoyable! Spend time with friends and family, work on hobbies...etc.
When you feel numb it is most likely means that you have emotionally disconnected from your current situation. It can be a defence mechanism, though it can lead to a sense of hopelessness. There are many reasons as to why you may feel numb. For example one of the two types of emotional responses of PTSD is emotional numbing which means the person avoids thinking about the event, leading to emotional numbness and this numbness can also impact concentration and memory. Another cause may be Depression. The symptoms of Depression, such as loss of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, guilt and low self-esteem, can leave one resulting to harmful coping-mechanisms as a way o coping with the emotional numbness. Furthermore, the first stages of grief, shock and avoidance, can create a sense of emotional numbness that lasts around one to two weeks in which they have trouble accepting the loss. Also, extreme levels of stress can cause one to become apathetic, be more risk-taking, indecisive and fatigued. There are many other causes that lead to emotional numbness and it is important to take time to reflect and see if you can determine any particular triggers or even when you started feeling this way. All these include the suppression of emotion as a way of coping with a situation.
Numbness is a condition that arises when your emotions have been deadened either purposefully or unintentionally. This can be due to traumatic experiences in your life, or an accumulation of stress-related activities that are emotionally-draining.
Sometimes, we feel upset or distracted by some things we don't expect. Reconnecting with things and people you love help a lot.
There are many physical reasons why we feel numb that range from lack of water to drug abuse and emotionally it can be as complicated. Feeling numb is usually felt through a disconnection from the world around us. This can happen very quickly and suddenly like after a traumatic experience or it can seep into our lives over time. When this happens... It can be very difficult to get back in touch with our environment and the people around us. The first step to overcoming this... Is realising that you are disconnected. If you have a desire to reconnect and start feeling again... then focus on something that inspires you or makes you happy. Focus on something that makes you feel something.
Your feeling depressed.a lot of depressors feel that way.maybe you should talk to a professional counselor.
Dysphoria or the lack of ability to feel anything is a common side effect of depression. It's an awful feeling of emptiness and numbness that is usually tied to depression.
This depends on your personal experiences. Have you always felt this way? Did an event trigger this? It could be because you are experiencing something you don't want to feel so you've shut yourself down
Feeling numb can be due different factors. It can be due to a health issue or it can be due to a cause of a psychological issue that you are currently struggling on. Consider which is which and consult professional help if unsure.
Feeling numb is a symptom of stress over long periods of time. Sounds like, you need to find a way to bring down your stress.
Anonymous
December 12th, 2015 5:33pm
Numbness can be physical or it can be mental (read: "psychological").
If you feeling physically numb (like not feeling heat when you touch a hot bowl of soup), it means that your sensory receptors are not functioning properly. You need to consult a doctor immediately as it maybe a sign of some form of allergy or something more serious like nerve damage.
If you are feeling mentally numb (not being able to feel vivid emotions), you are probably under stress. In this case, you need to take an extended vacation or perform a creative hobby that turns the wheels of your creative mind. Or, do what I do, eat fruits. :)
it is possible that you feel disconnected from reality and unreal due to traumatic experiences or even anxiety and fear. Being numb takes all kinds of feelings away and it is likely we can feel that as a response from our body signaling to us we are feeling overwhelmed.
That's your minds way of trying to block yourself mentally from feeling mental pain. But it also blocks out other feelings as well. This happens when bad events take place where you just are not able to handle it.
Anonymous
December 20th, 2015 5:15am
Numbness can occur in depression (Anhedonia), Schizophrenia (During negative phases), PTSD and a variety of other conditions dependant on a number of factors. Numbness can also be caused by over use of certain perscribed and over the counter medications, illegal drugs or a combination of both.
You could feel numb all the time if you are bipolar and are at baseline. You could also feel numb, if you have disassociated yourself.
I find when am overwhelmed or feeling to many things at once my body automatically goes into shut down mode and I don't feel much of anything which can be dangerous if you don't feel anything you can end up in a dangerous situation and not realise it
Anonymous
June 11th, 2015 4:51pm
We start off feeling something, and then that feeling gets too intense, and soon we become immune to that feeling because we've taken in too much pain and feeling numb is just our way of coping with reality.
I feel numb when I am bot doing what I love. When I am getting good grades, I feel numb if I'm doing it because of my family. When I do it for me, I feel amazing
Anonymous
June 18th, 2015 8:36pm
Feelings of numbness can happen when we shut down and do not allow ourselves to experience our emotions. Allow yourself to feel your emotions washing over you, knowing that whatever you are feeling is only temporary.
Hmm... Since this is a pretty vague question, I might have a little trouble getting the correct answer to this. Please choose whichever one feels tight, and feel free to ask me more questions. Are you under stress?? That's one of the main symptoms of anxiety. If it is anxiety, please chat with a counsellor or view 7 cups' anxiety help page. It might be a depression, in which case I suggest getting professional support. It could also be a dissociative episode, which although it's rare, could be the cause for your numbness. Please google anything, as it will help you get answers.
It might be that you're bored, or aren't feeling as much as you used to. Maybe try to find things that make you feel not so numb, like exercising, being social, helping others, etc. If you distract yourself, chances are you'll feel a lot more in the moment and aware! :D
many things can lead to feeling numb, including sadness, being hurt. but feeling numb is a normal if youve just been hurt. but next time you feel numb try squeezing ice cubes.
You probably feel numb because you've gone through so many emotions and troubles. Its okay to cry and let your feelings out.
it depends on the situation most of the time but what matters the most is the attitude. keep it positive all the time, no matter what you face. the more positive attitude you keep the more you are leaned towards happy life. second comes the forgive and forget attitude. forgiveness always holds the key to happiness, try to forgive people and voila! you have the key to lead a positive attitude and thus happiness. try to forget the situation no matter how hard it is.
Anonymous
June 19th, 2015 4:00pm
Maybe you're in a situation with too much stress, or strong feelings. The numbness can be a way to protect yourself from being overwhelmed. There can be other reasons, like effect of drugs or a part of other mental illness. Sometimes the numbness can be a disorder of itself, if it comes back or if it never leave you. Then it's called depersonalization disorder.
Anonymous
June 19th, 2015 4:43pm
The main reasons are usually things like mental disorders and such. Though depression is a common cause of this, another cause would be dissociation disorders such as depersonalisation.
I think feeling numb can sometimes develop as a subconscious defence mechanism to difficult circumstances. Having overwhelming emotions can be exhausting, and sometimes the brain just wants to shut down. Even though numbness doesn't equal happiness, it might feel more peaceful than dealing with certain emotions.
If you don't trust yourself, it's normal. Try to believe your soul and mind. And try be brave. It feels better.
Are you feeling numb from drugs? Dxm can make you feel nauseous and dizzy as well as numb. If not, try consulting a doctor or a professional about it if it continues.
There are many possible reasons, so I will address one that has been personally troubling for me. Sometimes, when you are experiencing many emotions at once, your brain experiences sensory overload. Consciously or subconsciously, you may then try to solve this by suppressing all emotion altogether. You just need to go through your thoughts one by one, and understand why you are thinking and feeling the way you are. Go one by one, and accept each feeling and thought. Don't try to convince yourself that you aren't feeling sad, or angry, or afraid. Understand that each feeling serves a purpose and doesn't control nor define you.
This is all of course assuming that sensory overload is the cause. There are many other possible causes, some being medically dangerous. See a doctor immediately if this numbness and is followed by seizures, strokes, trouble breathing, or persistent head pains.
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