16 Things People Don't Realize You're Doing Because You're Emotionally 'Numb'
What is āemotional numbnessā?
Mighty contributor Elizabeth Duff shared how she defines it in her piece, āWhen Depression Makes Me Numb, Not Sadā
One symptom I wish more people understood is feeling numb. A sense of hollowness ā like a dull, numb lump ā often defines me when Iām really down. Itās a shitty, zombie state ofĀ grayĀ flatness. Life passes by and you wonāt bother to wave at it because you donāt really care. In fact, you just donāt really feel anything.
Sheās not the only one who has felt this way, so we asked our Mighty community to share something they do because theyāre emotionally ānumb.ā You can read what they shared below.
If you can relate to feeling numb, youāre not alone. Whether youāre struggling with numbness from a struggle with mental illness symptoms, the impact of trauma, grief or something else, we want you to know we see you.Ā We are so grateful youāre here and in our community. If youāre struggling, we encourage you to post aĀ Thought or QuestionĀ about it on the site to get support from other people in our community who get it.
Here are things people donāt realize youāre doing because youāre emotionally ānumbā:
1. You Isolate
āI isolate myself behind the āintrovertā behavior when really, Iām hiding. Iām barely out in public. When I do, itās usually forced ā shopping, events or errands. I make myself go out to do those things. Point A (work) to point B ( home) is all I focus on.ā ā Janelle F.
2. You āOverreactā or Donāt React at All
āIām in the āeither orā modeā¦ either I overreacted or I donāt react at all.. I can be functional with a smile, but inside Iām completely numb.ā ā Ashley W.
3. You Have Trouble Hearing and Processing Whatās Going on Around You
āWhen I go numb, I basically stop hearing and stop processing most of the world around me, going into work mode so people just assume Iām busy or in a bad mood.ā ā Cathryn C.
4. You Donāt Laugh Out Loud Anymore
āSomething Iāve noticed Iāve been doing lately is not reacting externally if, say, I watch a funny YouTube video, but I can still feel myself laughing internally. Itās like my brain knows itās funny, but I have no outward expression whatsoever.ā ā Katie S.
5. You Are Extra Forgetful
āDay-to-day Iāll be extra forgetful, forget to message people back, have to ask people to repeat things and might seem like Iām not listening when Iām actually just not present. I get extra clumsy too and tend to knock things over or walk into things. When Iām conscious itās happening and canāt seem to get back to reality, I tend to switch onto self-destruct mode to try and get some feeling back.ā ā Harriet L.
6. You āZone Outā
āI zone out to the point Iām only physically there, but mentally elsewhere and emotionally dead. I will just sit and not interact with people or my surroundings. If Iām walking, I will hold onto the person and thatās the only way I stay with them.ā ā Raven M.
7. You Have No Desire to Date
āA different one for me is dating. Some donāt understand how I can go such long periods of time being single, without even showing interest in dating, but it was the last thing on my mind.ā ā Amanda Z.
8. You Sleep a Lot
āSleeping in the middle of the day.ā ā Emily S.
9. You Pick Fights to Feel Something
āPersonally, when I go numb, I try to pick fights with my fiancĆ©, in order to get a reaction of emotion, since I canāt feel any emotion myself and me trying to push him away since I am uncomfortable with myself. Then, once the battle is over and my numbing state is satisfied, it is as though I come back, with a full experience of emotions, and begin to cry because I feel so horrible for words I didnāt mean, despite not being able to explain what happened. Overall, it seems like for a brief time, I lose myself completely and all control of my mental processing.ā ā Autumn T.
10. You Put Yourself in āRiskyā Situations
āSomething people donāt realize Iām doing because Iām emotionally numb is placing myself in risky situations. Iām willing to come to harm physically and/or emotionally so that I feel something ā anything ā other than the ānothingnessā of being numb.ā ā Louisa T.
11. You Seem āRoboticā
āI say exactly what I am thinking. I turn into a robot I have very little empathy and my body language and voice are flatlined. When I am numb like that, Iām usually trapped in my head ā sitting, staring and waiting to come back to myself.ā ā Nicole S.
12. You Experience More Anxiety and Panic Attacks
āHaving panic attacks instead of feeling negative emotions. I donāt like being mad or sad. Iām numb to those negative emotions because of trauma and PTSD. I just get anxious instead.ā ā Liz T.
13. You Distract Yourself Frequently
āI begin to distract myself by playing games on my phone, or I clean. I do whatever I can because I become so uncomfortable I cannot sit in the anxiety and discomfort.ā ā Dana B.
14. You Have Trouble Following Social Cues
āI interrupt. I donāt hear lots of what is happening, I have trouble following social cues and I just interrupt people.ā ā Kristy G.
15. You Self-Medicate
āI pretend Iām happy and not affected by the situation at all, while I go numb myself physically with substances.ā ā Lauryn L.
16. You Seem āEmotionlessā
āIām totally emotionless. I donāt get excited, or show facial expressions.ā ā Justin L.
If youāre struggling with feeling ānumbā youāre not alone. We are so grateful youāre here and in our community. If you need support, we encourage you to post aĀ Thought or QuestionĀ about it on the site to connect with people in our community who get it.