Emotional Numbness: Causes and Treatment

Feeling emotionally numb can make it seem like you’re going through life on autopilot. You may struggle to feel joy, sadness, excitement, or even a connection to the people around you.

If you’ve been wondering, “Why do I feel numb?” you’re not alone. Emotional numbness can develop in response to stress, trauma, depression, grief, or other factors, and it can sometimes be associated with medication side effects.

In this article, we'll cover signs of emotional numbness and point to ways to start feeling like yourself again. 

What Is Emotional Numbness?

Emotional numbness, or emotional blunting, is the absence of feeling emotions or even bodily sensations, or a lack of emotional expression. It can be a coping mechanism that was once beneficial, but is no longer. Lack of emotions can also be caused by other mental and physical health factors or conditions. 

Signs of Emotional Numbness

There are several types of signs that one is feeling emotionally numb. 

Emotional signs

• Losing interest in things you once enjoyed. 
• An absence of positive and negative emotions. 

Physical and behavioral signs

• Avoiding activities that one used to enjoy.
• Feeling flat or fatigued. 
• Difficulty getting motivated or following through on commitments. 

How it shows up in relationships and work

• Trouble relating to or getting along with others. 
• Isolating oneself from others and spending more time alone. 
• Feeling detached or unconnected to other people.
• Difficulty fulfilling one’s responsibilities at work.

What Causes Emotional Numbness?

Many people wonder, “why do I feel numb?” There are numerous factors that can contribute to a lack of emotional feeling. 

Depression

People living with a depressive disorder may experience a lack of emotion as one of many symptoms of depression. Anhedonia refers to the inability to experience positive emotions such as pleasure, joy, or excitement. People living with depression may still experience emotions that are difficult to cope with, making them more vulnerable to suppressing those emotions. Over time, this emotional suppression of negative feelings can play a role in maintaining emotional numbness. 

Trauma and PTSD

People who have experienced traumatic events and abusive treatment may be more susceptible to emotional numbness.

Avoidance of reminders of traumatic events, such as thoughts, places, emotions, and conversations, is a major component of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma survivors often tend to turn to avoidance to help reduce distressful feelings and anxiety. Over time, this avoidance can cause numerous problems with people’s lives and health. To learn more about coping skills for PTSD, check out our article with many helpful suggestions.

Chronic stress and burnout

When people face circumstances they have limited or no control over, they may detach to protect themselves from further harm. Stress and burnout can contribute to emotional numbness as people detach from not only their stressors, but their emotions and thoughts as well, as a way to cope with overwhelm. 

Medication side effects and emotional blunting

Some medications can impact people’s mood and cause a lack of emotional feeling and expression. Emotional blunting is one of the main side effects that contribute to people discontinuing antidepressant medications. It is crucial to work closely with your provider to monitor for side effects so they can best support you. For some people, a dosage change can help, or switching to a different medication may be recommended. 

Grief

Complicated grief can be associated with feelings of emotional dysregulation and numbness. If people avoid feeling their feelings related to the loss, such as sadness or anger, this can hinder the healing process and contribute to someone becoming emotionally numb.

Substance Use

People who use drugs and alcohol are at a higher risk of experiencing emotional numbness and decreased motivation due to the ways that these substances impact the brain, especially the reward system. People may be unable to feel positive emotions without the substance if they misuse or overconsume substances.

Over time with sustained use, people may lose the ability to feel positive emotions with or without the substance. People in early recovery from substance use disorders are at a high risk of emotional numbness, which can put them at an increased risk of relapse. 

Is Emotional Numbness a Symptom of Something Serious?

If emotional numbness lasts for some time, it usually means there is at least some cause for concern. Experiencing a lack of emotions can be involved in a range of life stressors, health issues, and mental health disorders. For people experiencing emotional numbness, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional, such as your physician or a mental health professional. 

Some people experiencing emotional numbness may also experience an increased risk of thoughts of suicide. If you or a loved one are thinking about suicide or harming oneself, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or go to your nearest emergency room. 

How to Stop Feeling Emotionally Numb

Addressing the root causes of emotional numbness is key to regaining the ability to feel emotions again. There isn’t one method to stop feeling emotionally numb. Depending on the cause, this may involve lifestyle changes and professional support. 

Strategies that improve overall health and well-being can also improve your ability to feel positive emotions. Some examples include, but aren’t limited to:

• Improving sleep quantity and quality
• Exercise and movement 
• Healthy nutrition and hydration 
• Stress management techniques 
• Life changes that reduce one’s stress (for example, finding a new job)
• Reducing one’s consumption of alcohol and other substances 
• Reengaging in activities one used to enjoy, especially social activities and time in nature

Treatment Options for Emotional Numbness

If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, professional treatment may be needed. This is especially true for people who, consciously or unconsciously, use avoidance as a coping mechanism. 

Therapy approaches

Therapy can help people reconnect with their emotions. Therapy offers a safe place to process difficult thoughts, experiences, and emotions one has been trying to avoid. Allowing oneself to feel the full range of emotional experiences can lessen the intensity of negative emotions and help people feel more positive ones. Several therapeutic interventions help people do this, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). 

Intensive outpatient and crisis stabilization support

Some people can greatly benefit from the extra support of an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or a crisis stabilization program. Therapeutic support multiple days a week, along with services such as medication management and peer coaching, can help people regain a sense of stability and safety.

How Willow Health Can Support Your Mental Health Journey

Willow Health is here to support you on your path towards recovery. We accept most insurance plans and offer a virtual IOP and crisis program in New York and North Carolina, with services expanding to other states soon. All new patients receive a comprehensive evaluation by a mental health therapist and a psychiatric medical provider, and we offer individualized care plans to address your most important needs. We offer same-day or next-day appointments to ensure people get timely treatment.

Visit our website to talk to a clinician now, or call us at 646-814-1530 to learn more about our crisis program and intensive outpatient program (IOP).

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about emotional numbness. 

Why do I feel emotionally numb for no reason?

This could be due to several factors, including lifestyle habits, coping behaviors, or it could be a symptom of a mental health condition. 

How long does emotional numbness last?

There isn’t a timeline for how long emotional numbness may last. It can range from a few days to months or even years. If you’ve experienced prolonged emotional numbness, consultation with a healthcare professional is recommended. 

Can antidepressants cause emotional numbness?

Yes, a lack of feeling emotions can be associated with some antidepressant medications. 

Is emotional numbness a trauma response?

Emotional numbness can be a secondary impact of trauma depending on the person. While someone may start off trying only to avoid memories or reminders of traumatic events, avoidance behaviors can lead to emotional numbness over time. 

What's the difference between emotional numbness and dissociation?

The two can be related, but aren’t always. Dissociation is when someone is disconnected from themselves or their environment, while emotional numbness is the lack of feeling emotions. People experiencing emotional numbness may not be experiencing dissociation, but people who are experiencing dissociation may feel cut off from their emotions. 

Sources 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) | Psychiatry Online 

Emotion Transfer, Emotion Regulation, and Empathy-Related Processes in Physician-Patient Interactions and Their Association With Physician Well-Being: A Theoretical Model 

The Role of Experiential Avoidance in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Somatization 

Avoidance - PTSD: National Center for PTSD 

Emotional Blunting in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Brief Non-systematic Review of Current Research 

Full article: Grief and mourning gone awry: pathway and course of complicated grief 

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction 

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? 

Post-traumatic stress disorder | The BMJ