Do you feel empty? Do your favorite activities lack their usual spark? You may be experiencing emotional numbness. Emotional numbness is when you lose the ability to feel or express your emotions. This state of mind can affect every aspect of your life, but you may not realize anything is wrong. Numbness can grow and worsen over time, so here are eight signs that you are emotionally numb. If you identify strongly with anything on this list. Don't push those feelings away. Emotional numbness can be an early symptom of depression, so it's important to act early. Confront your negativity and ask for help.
You've lost interest
You can't feel pleasure
Food doesn't taste as good
You don't want anything
You're really indecisive
You feel guilty all the time
You avoid your loved ones
You feel attacked
1. You've lost interest
Have you been dissatisfied with your daily routine? This is where most people's emotional numbness begins. They lose interest in their jobs, neglect their health, and become dissatisfied with their life passions. A rapid lack of interest, according to a 2013 study by Winer and colleagues, is a major predictor of emotional numbness.
Do you make it a point to have a good time? Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure, according to a 2019 study by Winer and colleagues. Anhedonia can affect any part of your life, from going out to eat to watching television. These activities may have previously made you feel motivated, but they now seem meaningless. Anhedonia is an issue in and of itself, but it's also a sign of depression. If your favorite moments in life aren't quite as enjoyable as they once were, you may be dealing with a deeper issue.
3. Food doesn't taste as good
Have you noticed that the flavor of your meals has diminished? This weird sensation can also indicate emotional numbness. Numbness can influence both emotional and physical pleasures, such as eating, according to the same 2019 study. There are few pleasures that can compare to a truly delectable dinner, yet emotional numbness can make your food taste like cardboard. It's time to get treatment if your physical senses are weak or weird.
4. You don't want anything
Do you find yourself lacking in motivation on a regular basis? Is it as if every activity is a chore? Sherrell and colleagues found that anticipation and enjoyment are linked in a 2012 study. When you're excited about something, it seems more gratifying, and a positive attitude and realistic expectations help you have a good time. When you're fearing something, those benefits may vanish completely. Because you're already in a terrible mood, your negativity becomes self-fulfilling. To put it another way, it's not enjoyable since you assume the worst.
5. You're really indecisive
Do you have trouble making even the most basic decisions? Are you making fewer decisions than you used to? Confidence empowers you to make sound decisions. When you're pleased and safe, you trust your instincts and feel powerful, but emotional numbness undermines your self-assurance. You persuade yourself that there is no correct decision, that every choice leads you down the wrong road. Your emotions sink deeper and lower as your indecision deepens. So don't let your indecisiveness go unnoticed.
6. You feel guilty all the time
Do you feel remorse about everything? Do you feel bad about being a slacker? Do you feel bad about squandering so much time in bed? You're not remorseful about feeling remorseful? Another common symptom of emotional numbness is this. When you're dealing with grown-up emotions, it can feel like you're doing everything wrong. A small amount of negativity can easily turn into a mountain of embarrassment. You may be emotionally numb if you're plagued by an unending sense of guilt.
7. You avoid your loved ones
Have you been avoiding your family and friends? Normally, spending time with someone you care about excites you, but now it sounds like a nightmare. If you're constantly canceling plans, emotional numbness could be to blame. When you don't express yourself, your friendships suffer. If you can connect to this, do you plan to reach out to trustworthy friends or family members to explain how you genuinely feel?
8. You feel attacked
Do you feel like no one is on your side? Do you feel attacked or criticized everywhere you go? Emotional numbness can destroy your confidence when you have no confidence. It feels like everyone is out to get you in these difficult moments. Remember that you're not alone and you do have people in your corner, even if it doesn't feel like it. Have you ever struggled to feel or express your emotions? If you know someone who may benefit from online counseling, we've partnered up with better help: an affordable online counseling platform that you could utilize. They're constantly striving to improve their services and terms and conditions.
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